China
Harnessing China’s Organic Surge: Insights on Certification, Trends, and Opportunities
China’s organic product industry is booming, with sales hitting $14 billion in 2023, making it the third-largest globally. The government promotes sustainability and quality through regulations, while understanding the certification process is vital for stakeholders to leverage growth opportunities.
China’s organic product industry is rapidly growing, with sales reaching US$14 billion in 2023, making it the third-largest market globally. The Chinese government is actively promoting this sector through regulations and initiatives to meet sustainable development goals and rising consumer demand for high-quality products. Understanding the certification process and key trends in this industry is crucial for stakeholders looking to capitalize on its lucrative opportunities.
China’s organic product industry is experiencing robust and rapid growth, with total sales reaching US$14 billion in 2023, making it the third-largest organic product consumption market globally.
The Chinese government is actively promoting the organic sector to meet sustainable development goals and rising consumer demand for high-quality food and products. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) has introduced regulations on constructing and managing national organic food production bases to standardize the development process. This initiative aims to enhance the supply capacity of green and organic products, driving high-quality growth in the organic industry.
In September 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released the China Organic Product Certification and Organic Industry Development (2024) report (hereafter, “the report”). The report highlights that organic product sales in China surpassed RMB 100 billion (US$13.8 billion) for the first time, marking a 61 percent increase compared to 2018. Over the past five years, sales have grown at an average annual rate of nine percent, further solidifying China’s position as one of the world’s leading organic consumption markets.
As China’s organic product market continues its rapid expansion, understanding the certification process for organic producers, processors, and handlers will be crucial for future growth. This article will outline the steps required for organic certification and explore key trends shaping the industry’s future.
The China Organic Product Certification program is a government initiative governed by the National Standard GB/T19630-2019, issued by the SAMR. This standard outlines requirements for the production, processing, labeling, and management of organic products. It is designed to regulate the production and trade of organic goods for the Chinese market and applies to both domestically produced and imported products. The current version of the standard, originally published in December 2011, was updated on August 30, 2019, and became effective on January 1, 2020.
Organic agriculture is a fast-growing industry in China. With people’s living standards improving and rising consumer demand for high-quality food and goods, organic agriculture has emerged as one of China’s fastest-growing industries. Organic products, requiring additional investments in production processes and higher care standards, typically command premium prices in the market. Obtaining organic product certification not only increases profitability for producers and handlers but also elevates their market competitiveness.
| This article was first published by China Briefing , which is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The firm assists foreign investors throughout Asia from offices across the world, including in in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, and India . Readers may write to info@dezshira.com for more support. |
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