Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 5/15/14
 
Sales of organic meat, poultry and fish rose 11 percent to $675 million in 2013, according to a new survey by the Organic Trade Association.

The category is still small, however, comprising just 2 percent of the $35 billion organic market.  
The report noted that farmland in the United States is not being converted to organic at the pace needed to meet the growing demand for organic. Supplies of organic feed and organic grain have been tight and costly, which could limit growth especially in the organic dairy and meat sectors.  

The survey showed the rapidly expanding organic packaged and prepared food sector up 10 percent to $4.8 billion.

Fruit and vegetable category continued to lead the organic sector in 2013 with $11.6 billion in sales, up 15 percent from 2012. With more than 10 percent of the fruits and vegetables sold in the United States now organic, the $1.5 billion in new sales of organic fruits and vegetable represented 46 percent of the organic sector’s $3.3 billion in new dollars.

The relatively small organic condiments category posted the strongest growth, at 17 percent, to reach sales of $830 million. Also showing double-digit growth were the organic snack food sector, up 15 percent to $1.7 billion and organic bread and grain sales, up 12 percent to $3.8 billion.

Overall consumer trust of the organic label continued to be stymied by label confusion as “natural” remains ubiquitous and the debate heats up over GMO labeling with numerous labeling bills at state and national levels, the OTA noted in a news release.

The survey was conducted and produced by Nutrition Business Journal. Over 200 companies responded to the survey, which was conducted from Jan. 27 through April 4.  

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