Despite the distressed economy, organic fruit and vegetable sales in the US reached nearly US$9.5bn last year, an increase of 11.4 per cent against 2008 and up from just US$2.55bn in 2000, according to a new report from the Organic Trade Association (OTA).
Organic fruits and vegetables now account for 11.4 per cent of all US fruit and vegetable sales, OTA said, and represent 38 per cent of organic food sales in total, which were worth US$24.8bn in 2009 (up from US$6.1bn in 2000).
“While total US food sales grew by only 1.6 per cent in 2009, organic food sales grew by 5.1 per cent,” said Christine Bushway, OTA’s Executive Director.
“Meanwhile, organic non-food sales grew by 9.1 per cent, as opposed to total non-food sales which had a 1 per cent negative sales growth rate. These findings are indicative that even in tough times, consumers understand the benefits that organic products offer and will make other cuts before they give up products they value.”
Overall, organic product sales also continued to grow in the US last year, rising by 5.3 per cent to reach some US$26.6bn.
OTA said the mass market channel accounted for the lion’s share of organic food sales in 2009, with 54 per cent of organic products sold through mainstream grocers, club stores and retailers, followed by natural retailers, with 38 per cent.
Although still representing a small percentage of sales, farmers’ markets, co-ops and CSA (community-supported agriculture) operations gained a lot of interest as consumers increasingly look for locally and regionally produced organic foods, according to OTA.
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