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Aquascot organic salmon. (Photo Credit: Ocado)
Positive year for the organic industry
(UNITED KINGDOM, 9/4/2013)
The organic industry has experienced a very good year all in all in the United Kingdom (UK), with more and more people choosing the organic path and taking full advantage of the wide range of available options in the market.
According to the Organic market report 2013 issued by the Soil Association, the supermarket chain Sainsbury's reported a 48 per cent rise in its online organic sales during this year with other supermarkets also experiencing a rise in their sales.
The horsemeat scandal had a positive impact in the industry, putting people off meat products and trying to interest them in new organic alternatives. In February 2013, organic sales from supermarkets reached their highest level in 9 months, which showed that the public equalled buying organic with product integrity.
In the UK, the organic market has many different options for the public. Ocado, Abe & Cole and Riverford, the top three organic sellers with their organic box schemes, reported a 10.3 per cent rise in their sales.
The report highlights that ethically aware consumers, the so-called 'Jamie generation,' proved to be a key element in the success of the British organic movement. Jamie Oliver has done much to encourage the organic vibe, raising public awareness regarding fish sustainability, informing and educating the public and giving them healthy choices on how to put the local organic produce to good use. Oliver strongly opposes battery farming and non-organic methods of increasing productivity in the farming industry.
The report from the Soil Association also points out that organic salmon producers also speak of a positive year in spite of having had to deal with problems such as amoebic gill disease and sea lice. Salmon output increased by 10 per cent in 2013 another positive note for the industry.
Salmon production has experienced a boost both in the domestic setting as well as in other European countries. In the United Kingdom, there was an 1.4 per cent increase in salmon sales as seen in supermarket chains. Aquascot has plans to boost its production by 27 per cent for the rest of the year in order to meet demand, particularly by Waitrose.
The salmon farming industry has also experienced a positive change seeing an improvement in feeding systems, disease control and wrasse management. The high prices of fish feed accounted for up to 70 per cent of production costs, with farmgate prices reaching as much as GBP 6.40 per kg (EUR 7.5 per kg) in the current year.
By Gabriela Raffaele
editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media
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