Demand for organic food in Germany is increasing

The trend of consuming organic food in Germany is increasing, however, domestic supply is not enough to meet consumer demand.

Recent reports suggest that spending on organic food in the country may have hit a record last year. However, domestic agricultural producers are struggling to meet the growing demand from German consumers.

The Bund Ökologische Lebensmittelwirtschaft (BÖLW), Germany's leading organic food industry federation, stressed that although the area of land devoted to organic farming in the country has expanded, this development is still not enough to meet consumer demand. If the current situation continues without macro-level government intervention, Germany may have to rely on imported organic products. A similar situation is common in the livestock industry, as well as in the fruit market.

The trend of consuming organic products in Germany is increasing – Source thuenen.de

In 2023, German consumers spent around 16.1 billion euros on organic food, up 5% from the previous year. Although part of this growth is attributed to the increase in prices for organic products, demand for this product is still the main factor driving the growth. After a period of more cautious spending due to inflation, German consumers are now placing more emphasis on the quality of products. Many consumers feel more motivated by the desire to make a positive contribution to environmental protection, climate protection and biodiversity.

Although the number of farmers switching to organic farming is increasing, Germany is still far from its target of converting 30% of its agricultural land to organic farming by 2030. BÖLW has stressed the importance of state macro-policy interventions to support this transition. With the German federal elections approaching, there have been calls for the new government to commit to doubling the area of land devoted to organic farming and implementing EU agricultural reforms aimed at strengthening climate protection and protecting plant and animal species.

For farmers interested in switching to organic methods, reliable support and clear guidance from the relevant state authorities are essential. BÖLW emphasizes that a lack of relevant state support policies to promote the development of organic agriculture in Germany at this crucial time could result in a major missed opportunity for the development of the domestic organic agriculture sector.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/nhu-cau-ve-thuc-pham-huu-co-tai-duc-tang-cao-373343.html