ORGANIC FARMING:
Around 178 countries in the world are associated with organic farming. Approximately 57.8 million hectors of land are utilized for organic farming in the world. The organic farming market is expected to grow with a CAGR of approximately 15%. Among the various regions, North America’s contribution in organic market will account to 51%. It is estimated that around $290 million was invested on organic food and farming systems and research in the whole world. However, farming companies are investing in research, development and infrastructure to enhance the productivity and efficiency of organic farming systems in order to overcome routine farming challenges like managing pests and sustaining soil health.
A recently published meta-analysis of 44 scientific studies shows that organic farming is not only environmentally sustainable, but also financially competitive when compared to conventional farming. Organic sales grew 170 percent to US$63 billion from 2002 to 2011 worldwide, but the analysis’s authors note that organic agriculture currently occupies only 1 percent of global cropland.
According to David Crowder, a co-author of the study, other meta-analyses of organic agriculture have focused mostly on yields. “But yields are really just one component of the actual economic performance of an organic-farming system,” Crowder says. Crowder jointly designed the research with a colleague, John P. Reganold , at Washington State University. M. S. Swaminathan of the Centre for Research on Sustainable Agriculture and Development in Madras, India, reviewed the paper.
Market Research and Market Trend Of Organic Farming:
- Organic farming in developing countries Africa has gained momentum leading to increasing investments by the Swedish, Swiss, Dutch, German and French governments. Such investments are playing a major role in expanding organic agriculture in West, Central and Southern Africa. Several government and private companies are investing in developing countries to improve organic food production and encourage organic farming.
- The use of pesticide and chemicals and its proliferation into the food chain due to conventional farming practices have become a cause of concern all over the world. The rising awareness of natural, safe food, and new food safety standards for their health and well-being coupled with the willingness of consumers to pay for organic farm food is expected to boost the global market.
- Several regulatory bodies are working towards provision of fairer competition to market vendors, trader, processors, farmers as well as breeders in order to encourage organic farming all over the world. They are implementing stricter control measures and are focusing largely in prevention of contamination with pesticides, improved supply of organic seeds over the globe, and start including new products such as essential oils and salt.
