São Paulo – The organic sector, including food products – fresh and processed –, cosmetics and textile, generated BRL 3.5 billion last year in the domestic market, according to data shown by the Brazilian Council for Organic and Sustainable Production (ORGANIS). In 2016, the sector generated BRL 3 billion (USD 750 million). In the survey’s first year, in 2010, the sector generated BRL 500 million (USD 125.70 million).
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, currently, the country has 17.075 ed organic producers, from which 70% are small farmers. In 2013, there were only 6,700 producers.
There are only two types of accreditation for organic producers. The ministry has, currently, eight accredited certifiers for the inspection of properties that are responsible for land use in the country.
There are also the Participative Assurance Systems (SPG, in the Portuguese acronym), in which groups that include consumers, producers, technicians and researchers issue certifications themselves, that is, establish inspection procedures for the norms of organic production that must be followed by the producers within the system.
Both the certifying bodies and the SPGs must with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
