Global Organic Products Sales to Reach $150bn in 5 Years – NEPC

The global sales for organic products may reach $150 billion within the next five years, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said.

This was disclosed during the inauguration of the local organising committee for the 2021 Organic Agriculture Business Summit in Abuja.

According to the Executive Director of NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo, the development is an opportunity to develop the country’s organic food sector with the high demand for organic products both locally and internationally.

Awolowo who was represented by the Deputy Director, Product Development Department NEPC, Salami Akinshola, noted that many agro products in the country such as ginger, hibiscus, moringa, tiger nut, sesame seed, turmeric, soybeans, with proper certification are easily organic.

The NEPC Director said, “It took over 15 years for global organic product sales to reach $150 billion in 2008. 10 years later in 2018, they surpassed $100 billion mark.”

He further expressed that statically, the global demand for organic foods rose from $15.2 billion in 1999 to $97 billion in 2017.

He, however, noted that the value of organic food demand has risen significantly due to global awareness on the essence of food safety concern and focus on organically produced crops.

“The action plan under the world food summit identifies the importance of organic input technologies, farming techniques and other sustainable methods as organic farming,” he added.

The improvement in the quality of organic produce and products from Nigeria to tackle the rejection of its products would be the focus of the upcoming Organic Agriculture Business Summit slated for September.

The forthcoming forum is targeted at achieving increased organic production and business in the country which is directed at improving food safety in Nigeria.

Also on its agenda, is the integration of organic agriculture into official activities of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).