Ottawa, Canada
July 13, 2009
USDA/FAS GAIN report CA 9039
Report highlights
With the growing
availability of industry data, and given the significant
growth in imports between 2007 and 2008, it is estimated
that the retail value of organic food in the Canadian market
reached C$2.1 – 2.6 billion in 2008. The main categories of
organic food sales in supermarkets are: fresh fruits and
vegetables at 41%, beverages at 17% and prepared foods at
14% with much of the remainder made up of packaged organic
foods. The market is reportedly growing at 15-20% per year
with domestic production increasing at an estimated 4%. With
this, by some estimates, up to 80% of organic fresh produce
consumed in Canada is imported. The vast majority of
Canada’s imported organic produce comes from the United
States, which accounts for approximately 74% of total
organic imports. New organic products regulations will make
certification in accordance with the National Standard for
Organic Agriculture mandatory for all organic products as of
June 30, 2009. Although Canada has had this organic standard
since 1999, it had been voluntary and not supported by
regulation. Now new mandatory standards are in place. On
June 17, 2009, the United States and Canada jointly
announced that the two countries had reached an organics
equivalency agreement, the first one of its kind. The
equivalency agreement follows a review by both nations of
the other’s organic certification program and a
determination that products meeting the standard in the
United States can be sold as organic in Canada, and vice
versa.
Full report:
http://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/Organics%20Annual_Ottawa_Canada_7-8-2009.pdf
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