Organic consumption increases in Spain

The 21st edition of BioCultura Barcelona took place from 8 – 11 May 2014. In a presentation to the press, Ángeles Parra (picture), director of BioCultura, has announced that consumption of organic food in Spain continues to grow and now represents 2% of the total food consumption in the country. If this trend continues, turnover will soon reach one billion euros, she explained. At this point of time, the per capita consumption in the country is 20 euros a year.

Spain is the first producer of organics in the European Union and within Spain, Catalonia is the most important market for domestic consumption. 35% of organic food consumed in Europe comes from the Spanish state. Domestic consumption is small at this point of time, but it is expected that the sector will grow in the coming years, Ms. Parra explains.
 

On this occasion, the importance of "organic products from the sea" was emphasised – an area where there is plenty of misinformation, especially regarding labelling and certification, and also a lack of knowledge on the part of consumers regarding the species in the seas and the origin of the fish. Producers and nutritionists, as well as various environmental organizations, threw some light on this subject. More information (in Spanish) is available here.