France: organic food sales +10% in 2010!

<div style="text-align: justify;">Agence Bio informs that organic food sales in France have increased up to 10% in 2010, reaching 3.3 billion euro, even if&nbsp; French consumers declared to eat "organic" less regularly than before (from 46% to 43% in one year). So, this positive situation is resulting from an increase of quantities purchased by every single consumer. <span style="font-style: italic;">Elisabeth Mercier</span>, director of the Agency, explained that consumers often get into the organic world when they wait for a baby, or they have young kids. In detail, in 2010 organic sales of drinks increased by 26% (consisting mainly of organic fruit juices sold in supermarkets; organic fruit and vegetables are the most popular items among French consumers of organic food: their purchase grew by 10% in 2010).<br>The number of farmers converted into organic has in parallel grown as well: by 25% in 2010, more than 50% in the last two years. But the goal settled by France in 2007, i.e. to reach 6% of organic land by 2012,&nbsp; still looks a bit far away: the organic surface in 2010 reached only&nbsp; 2.9% of the total agricultural surface (2.6% in 2009). Agence Bio director said that, in any case, more detailed&nbsp; estimations will be available in March.<br><br>The <a href="http://www.agencebio.org/pageEdito.asp?IDPAGE=139&amp;n2=98">Agence Bio </a>document, in French. <br></div><br>Source: Agence Bio