Denmark has the highest market share of
organic products in the world. The organic
segment is growing rapidly, with more and
more organic products going on the shopping
list of Danish consumers every year.
Source: Denmark.dk
Organic Production
Denmark has the highest market share of organic products
in the world. The organic segment is growing rapidly, with
more and more organic products going on the shopping
list of Danish consumers every year. Proportionally, the
organic market in Denmark is the biggest in the world,
with organic food making up 9.6% of the total food retail
market in 2016.
Denmark is known for its unique Ø-certification scheme,
which has been a major driver behind the success of
the movement towards organic food production and
consumption in Denmark. Under the Ø-certification scheme,
a farmer is only allowed to brand his products as organic,
after he seeks approval by the authorities. The farmer then
has to manage his fields organically for two years, during
which time; the farmer has to meet strict standards. If all
standards are met, the farmer gains the right to use the
Ø-label and brand his products as organic.
Finally, it is worth noting that the Danish government aims
to double the area of organic farming in Denmark by 2020.
In order to reach this goal, the government aims to boost
20
public procurement of organic produce, increase public
awareness of organic production methods and provide
subsidies to farmers for a range of initiatives including farm
conversions and new investments.
Food Safety
Denmark has food safety legislation that often exceeds that
of other EU Member States and the Danish commitment to
food safety is widely recognized. In general, food production
is highly transparent, as all products and ingredients are
traceable throughout the entire production process. All this
ensures food safety that is world-class.
The excellent food safety levels in Denmark has been
achieved through cooperation between farmers, the food
industry and public authorities. Many strategies have
been implemented at farm level to achieve this level of
food safety, such as imposing strict biosecurity measures.
Strategies have also been in place to lower the use of
veterinary medicines. The use of pesticides on all crops,
including those grown for feed, is also strictly controlled by
legislation.