Current situation and prospects for organic agriculture in and for Latin America

Abstract

A brief reference is made to the world-wide situation of organic agriculture to locate and highlight in this context the position of the Latin American region, which currently participates with around 20% of the quantified area under organic management at world level. Subsequently, quantitative data are presented by country and subregions (Mexico and Central America; the Caribbean; South America) of areas in production; number of farms and number of producers); They show the estimated situation in recent years of certified organic agriculture, in transition, or both, accompanied by complementary explanatory notes. Next, a categorization and ordering of the Latin American countries is made according to the areas dedicated to certified organic agricultural production, in transition, or both, considering only the data collected from the last four years (1998-2001). The countries that stand out with the largest production areas are: Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and Ecuador, which together cover 95% of Latin America's total organic agricultural production. In addition, this work briefly characterizes the main distribution channels for organic products in Latin America, and then goes on to analyze aspects related to the supply and demand of this type of merchandise. The largest certified organic agricultural production areas in Latin America are mainly dedicated to the following products: sugar, cocoa, coffee, meats (especially beef and chicken), cereals and grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, most of which are destined for export to the US markets and European Union countries. Finally, some final references and comments are made regarding the prospects for global organic production, based on a brief analysis of the behavior and trends of the main markets.