Gain Report: Organic Foods in Canada

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.