MEDIA KITMedia kit
The World of Organic Agriculture 2017
February 9, 2017
Table of Contents
Media release of February 09, 2017: Another record year for organic agriculture
worldwideYearbook "The World of Organic Agriculture"
Key indicators
GraphsInfographics
Further sessions on organic markets at BIOFACH 2017

BIOFACH and VIVANESS press conference 201709. Februar 2017, 10:00 Uhr
denn’s Bio-Markt Nürnberg, Äußere Cramer-Klett-Str. 21, 90489 Nürnberg

Contact
Helga Willer and Julia Lernoud
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL)
Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, Schweiz,
helga.willer@fibl.org and julia.lernoud@fibl.org
www.fibl.org, www.organic-world.net, twitter.com/FiBLStatistics

Supported byMedia release February 9, 2017
Another record year for organic agriculture worldwide
50.9 million hectares of organic agricultural land – organic
market grows to more than 80 billion US Dollars
The latest global data on organic farming worldwide will be presented by theResearch Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and IFOAM – Organics
International at the BIOFACH world organic trade fair 2017 in Nuremberg. The
statistical yearbook “The World of Organic Agriculture” will be launched on
Wednesday, February 15, 2017, from 4.00 to 4.45 pm in Hall Shanghai, NCC East.
(Frick/Nürnberg February 9, 2017) The positive trend seen in the past years continues:
Consumer demand is increasing, reflected in the significant market growth of 11 percent
in the United States, the world’s largest organic market. More farmers cultivateorganically, more land is certified organic, and 179 countries report organic farming
activities (up from 172), as shown in the 2017 edition of the study “The World of OrganicAgriculture” (data per end of 2015) published by FiBL and IFOAM – Organics
International. The survey is supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs(SECO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), and NürnbergMesse, the organizers of theBIOFACH fair.
The global organic market continues to grow worldwide
The market research company Organic Monitor estimates the global market for organic
food to have reached 81.6 billion US dollars in 2015 (approximately 75 billion euros). The
United States is the leading market with 35.9 billion euros, followed by Germany(8.6 billion euros), France (5.5 billion euros), and China (4.7 billion euros). In 2015, mostof the major markets showed double-digit growth rates The highest per capita spending
was in Switzerland (262 Euros), and Denmark has the highest organic market share (8.4
percent of the total food market).
More than two million producers
In 2015, 2.4 million organic producers were reported. India continues to be the country
with the highest number of producers (585’200), followed by Ethiopia (203’602), andMexico (200’039).
More than 50 million hectares of organic farmland
A total of 50.9 million hectares were organically managed at the end of 2015,
representing a growth of 6.5 million hectares over 2014, the largest growth ever recorded.
Australia is the country with the largest organic agricultural area (22.7 million hectares),followed by Argentina (3.1 million hectares), and the United States of America (2 millionhectares).
Supported byForty-five percent of the global organic agricultural land is in Oceania (22.8 millionhectares), followed by Europe (25 percent; 12.7 million hectares), and Latin America(13 percent; 6.7 million hectares).
Ten percent or more of the farmland is organic in eleven countries
The countries with the largest share of organic agricultural land of their total farmland
are the Liechtenstein (30.2 percent), Austria (21.3 percent), and Sweden (16.9 percent).
In eleven countries 10 percent or more of all agricultural land is organic.

More information
Download“The World of Organic Agriculture” 2017 edition, infographics, online data tables, andan interactive map can be downloaded atwww.organic-world.net/yearbook/yearbook-2017.html.
Contacts
Dr. Helga Willer, FiBL, Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, Switzerland, Tel.+41 (0)792180626, helga.willer(at)fibl.org, www.fibl.org
Markus Arbenz, IFOAM – Organics International, Charles-de-Gaulle-Strasse 5,53113 Bonn, Germany, Tel. +49 (0)160 8041557, Fax +49 (0)228 9265099,m.arbenz(at)ifoam.bio, www.ifoam.bio
Programme of the session “The World of Organic Agriculture – Statistics andEmerging Trends”
Wednesday, February 15, 2017, 4.00 to 4.45 pm, Hall Shanghai (NCC East),
NürnbergMesse, Nürnberg
Markus Arbenz, IFOAM – Organics International, Moderator
Eduart Rumani, SECO, Swiss Cooperation Office, Albania: The role of sustainabilitystandards in economic development cooperation in Switzerland
Dr. Helga Willer, FiBL: Latest data on organic agriculture worldwide
Julia Lernoud, FiBL: Latest data on Voluntary Sustainability Standards worldwide
Beate Huber, FiBL: Standards and regulations
Amarjit Sahota, Organic Monitor, UK: The global market for organic foodMore information at www.biofach.fibl.org/en/biofach-2017.html

Supported by

Yearbook "The World of Organic Agriculture"
About "The World of Organic Agriculture"
The study (336 pages) contains reports, authored byexperts, on the organic sector and emerging trends in allregions and selected countries. The statistics aresupported with graphs and tables. In addition, backgroundinformation on issues such as standards and legislation isprovided. New additions to this edition are an article onorganic cotton from the Textile Exchange and a chapter
reviewing the organic and Fairtrade markets. Further
information and download is available at www.organicworld.net/yearbook/yearbook-2017.html.
Data collection
The data on organic agriculture is collected annually by
the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) incollaboration with many partners from around the world. The results are publishedjointly with IFOAM – Organics International. The activities are supported by the Swiss
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the International Trade Centre (ITC),and NürnbergMesse, the organizers of the BIOFACH fair. The views expressed in thispress release can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinions of SECO, ITC, orNürnbergMesse.
Quote
Helga Willer and Julia Lernoud (Eds.) (2017): The World of Organic Agriculture.
Statistics and Emerging Trends 2017. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL),
Frick and IFOAM – Organics International, Bonn
Order book and download
The printed version (25 Euros + postage; affiliates of IFOAM – Organics International:20 Euros) can be ordered at www.fibl.org/en/shop-en.html (order number 3503) andhttps://shop.ifoam.bio/Online databases
The data is available online at http://www.organic-world.net/statistics/statistics-datatables.html
Pick up your copy at BIOFACH in Hall 1, Stands 1-555 (FiBL) and 1-451 (IFOAM –Organics International)
Supported by

Key indicators

Supported byGraphs

Supported by

Supported by

Supported by

Supported by

Supported by

Supported by

Supported by

Supported by

Infographics

Supported by

Supported bySupported byFurther sessions on organic markets atBIOFACH 2017
Wednesday, February 15, 2017:
The World of Organic Agriculture at BIOFACH 2017

4 pm to 4.45 pm, Hall Shanghai (NCC East), BIOFACH Congress
The European market for organic food at BIOFACH 2017

5 pm to 5.45 pm, Room Copenhagen, (NCC East), BIOFACH Congress
Sourcing from Central and Eastern Europe - risks and benefits

4 pm to 5.30 pm, Room Budapest (NCC East), BIOFACH CongressThursday, February 16, 2017
Global Organic Market Overview - facts, trends and opportunities

10 am to 11.30 am, Room Istanbul (NCC East), BIOFACH Congress

www.biofach.fibl.org/en/biofach-2017.html

Supported by