Development of organic agriculture in the world

32.2 million hectares of soil are certified according to organic standards (data as at the end of 2007).

 

Compared to the data of the previous survey, 1.5 million hectares more were reported by Organic Monitor. At the level of the geographical regions, growth was strongest in Latin America and Africa.

With its vast grazing lands, Australia continues to account for the largest certified organic surface area, 12 million hectares, followed by Argentina (2.8 million hectares), and Brazil (1.8 million hectares).

 

The greatest share of the global organic surface area is in Oceania (37.6 percent), followed by Europe (24.1 percent) and Latin America (19.9 percent).

 

In terms of certified land under organic management as a proportion of national agricultural area, the Alpine countries, such as Austria (13.4 percent) and Switzerland (11 percent), top the statistics.

 

The global market for organic products reached a value of over 46 billion US Dollars in 2007, with the vast majority of products being consumed in North America and Europe.