An overview of the organic and green food market in China

This paper presents an overview of Chinese organic and green food markets, examining historical development, production bases, market condition and certification systems, in order to point out issues that are most likely to affect future development, from the point of view of international standardisation. What emerged is that domestic consumption of organic food is growing in China, partly attributable to worries over food safety, but exports (mostly raw materials) are the major reason for growth, and yet organic remains a tiny niche market. The factors that slow down the growth process in the domestic market include low public awareness (both among consumers and producers), lack of specialized technical knowledge about organic production, the poor reputation of law enforcement, as well as the harmonization of standards and certification procedures, not yet fully compatible.