British producers struggle to keep up with consumers' soaring demand.

Figures to be released this week will reveal that the organic industry is in grave danger of becoming a victim of its own success. The public hunger to shop ethically, locally and sustainably - a phenomenon that reached its acme with the high-profile opening last month of the American Whole Foods Market in London's Kensington High Street - is eating up British crops faster than farmers can produce them. The organic sector's success is creating problems that could end up irrevocably damaging consumer confidence in organic food.

Source:The Guardian - Amelia Hill - July 1, 2007

Contiinue reading:Organic food under threat.doc

Many changes have taken place in the organic sector since the enlargement of the European Union has taken place in 2004. Eurostat has published a report to give an overview of the current state. Organic cultivation has progressed in most states. Organic processing, however, has not been developed much yet. In 2005, 6.1 million hectares of land were managed organically, which equals to 4 % of the total agricultural area in the EU. This was a slight increase compared with 2003, when the rate accounted for 3.7 %. In Italy, 18 % of the land was cultivated organically, followed by Germany and Spain with a share of 14 % respectively. The Czech Republic had the highest share (4 %) of the countries which joined the EU in 2004.

Continue reading (source:Organic-Market.Info)

Researchers from University of California, Davis found that organic kiwi fruit had much higher levels of polyphenols and antioxidant activity.

Continue reading (source:999today)

  European organics firm Pro Natura has acquired French organics company Bioprim, in a move expected to strengthen the portfolio and customer base of each operator.
The deal, which was completed on May 23, is set to achieve Pro Natura a turnover of E80 million in 2007 and reinforce the firm’s role in the European organic sector. Bioprim has worked in the organic fruit and veg market for over 20 years, and operates from a logistical hub in Perpignan, conveniently located between the French and Spanish border.
With an annual growth rate pegged at 20 per cent, Pro Natura is continuing its “downstream deployment” strategy in a bid to come closer to its clients and widen its supply base.
Henri de Pazzis, founder and manager of Pro Natura, which has 192 staff at its marketing and production sites across Provence, Brittany, the Languedoc-Roussillon region, Belgium, Morocco and Togo, told FPJ: “Bioprim has a Spanish branch and is particularly strong in product from this country, thanks to the presence of a technician on the ground year-round with growers.
“Bioprim and Pro Natura complement each other well, and both our companies will be enriched in terms of their product range and their client base,” he added.
Source:Freshinfo - 7 June 07

Read more "Pro Natura makes French acquisition"

Marks & Spencer has become the first major UK retailer to stock 100 per cent organic loose bananas.
The chain switched its entire loose offer to organic on Bank Holiday Monday – a move designed to make a significant dent in the targets set in Plan A, chief executive Stuart Rose’s commitment to make M&S socially, environmentally and corporately “fit for the future”.