French Organic market

The organic market in France is rising steadily, in 2013 it amounted to 4.38 billion euros up from 3.17 billion in 2012. (Source Agence bio) The UK organic market for 2014 in comparison is estimated by the Soil Association to be around 2.61 billion euros.

More importantly from my perspective is that the local organic producer numbers and the amount of land certified organic or in conversion is also increasing. At the end of 2014 1.12 millon hectares of agricultural land in France was certified organic or in transition to organic. In total that means 4.14% of all agricultural land is now under organic use.

The highest concentration of organic produce is here the South.

Midi-Pyrénées (145 409 ha),

Pays de la Loire(115 570 ha), OK not in the south I admit

Languedoc-Roussillon(100 789 ha),

Rhône-Alpes (96 331 ha)

Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (93 184 ha).

Contrary to expectations wine does not lead the charge even here in the South, of the 1.12 million hectares of organic land just under 55,000 is vines compared to 193,000 hectares of cereals and dried vegetables.

Of the 26,466 organic farms 19% grow vines, 41% produce fruit and/or vegetables. 61% have pasture land, and only 7% have aromatic herbs.