Organic farming is progressing in France, grain is lagging behind

In ten years, areas producing organic more than tripled, from 517,000 hectares to 1.78 million hectares.

The market for organic farming has continued to grow in France in 2017, in terms of production and agricultural and consumer surfaces with the democratization of bio in supermarkets, according to data released Friday by the Bio Agency.

According to the French Agency for the Development and Promotion of Organic Agriculture, an economic interest group, this market reached 8.3 billion euros in 2017 against 7.1 billion euros in 2016, a 17 percent increase.

Organic farmers are now 36,691 in France, up 14.7 percent over one year. This represents 8.3 percent of French farms and 6.6 percent of total cultivated areas.

In ten years, areas producing organic more than tripled, from 517,000 hectares to 1.78 million hectares.

As for surfaces in conversion, they increased by 7 percent last year, to exceed 518,000 hectares.

This trend responds to consumer demand, 85 percent of which consider it important to develop organic farming, according to the latest survey of the Bio Agency carried out by the CSA.

The year 2017 was marked by the development of the sale of organic products in large and medium-sized stores, with increases of 27 percent for groceries and 22 percent for fruits.

The democratization of the organic market is however not without risk for the sector.

"It's a dynamic market but the big brands that communicate on organic farming then sell organic products almost at the price of conventional kill the sector and its added value," said a broker specialized in the organic market, interviewed by Reuters.

In the long term, he adds, there is a risk of slowing agricultural conversions if organic farming is not profitable enough for producers.

As for the cereals sector, of which France is the leading European producer, it remains behind in this transition to organic farming and has to import organic cereals.

"It is difficult for new producers to keep up with demand, but it is our wish to cover all needs," admits Florent Ghul, director of Agence Bio.

(With inputs from Reuters)