China's Organic Agriculture Growing

WASHINGTON - Jun 21/06 - SNS -- Organic agriculture in China continues to move forward, with export and domestic markets growing in double digits annually over the past several years, reports the U.S. agricultural attache for the country.

China's organic farming acreage ranks first in Asia, and international markets include the U.S., DU, Korea, and Japan. Increased awareness about food safety, health, and diet, as a result of a number of public food safety problems, have supported development of organic produce markets in Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou, as well as smaller Emerging Market Cities.

With the growth of the international market for organic products, some products in China are now being grown to international organic standards for export with the help of third-party global certification groups. Other products continue to target the domestic market with certification by local or provincial bodies.

In 2003, the total turnover for the "Green Foods" market reached approximately $11.9 billion or $8.7 billion wholesale for the domestic market. According to a report from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the value of Chinese organic exports grew from less than $1 million in the mid-1990s to roughly $142 million in 2003.

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