According to a report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania trails only California in the sale of organic products. Statewide consumption of organic foods in Pennsylvania has increased by about ten times over the past decade, and has doubled from 2015 and 2016.
Nationwide, organic food sales reached $43 billion last year, an increase of 8.4% over the previous year.
“The demand has increased so much,” said Cheryl Cook, deputy secretary for market development at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. “We could quadruple and quintuple the production and still not fill the demand.”
Consumer neuroscience firm Nielsen told Progressive Grocer that despite the increase in organic sales in recent years, price perception remains the greatest barrier to organic purchases, even though prices are in general decline.