Evolution of organic agriculture - a response to european consumer requirements

Abstract

Significantly increasing trend in the food markets, regarding the diversification of consumer needs, their orientation to natural products, with potential health benefits, environmental "friendly", has made its mark on the organic products market trends and on the development of ecological agriculture (organic). According to data provided by Research Institute of Organic Agriculture and Eurostat we can see that sales of organic food products in recent years have been increasing in almost all European countries. Closely related to demand manifested in the market, organic farming showed a comparable growth perhaps similar to the sectors characterized by high dynamism. Thus, over the 10 years (from 2001 to 2010), in some EU countries, organic crop area grew strongly, sometimes over 100%, increasing their share in total agricultural land. Similarly, the number of animals kept in compliance with the specific practices of organic production has seen a positive development in most EU countries. For most analyzed indicators, the most dramatic changes were recorded in the new EU countries, where increasing consumer demands for safety and food security has manifested much later, and organic foods markets is in its infancy, with great growth potential (compared to the situation of the old EU markets, where organic products markets are more mature, with decreased growth potential). This is confirmed by ecological food products purchases per capita recorded in the new EU countries (in most cases in 2010 equaled to less than 10 Euro / person), which are well below those recorded in the old EU countries (with values above 100 Euro / person recorded in some countries in the same year).