§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total value of UK organic farm produce in each of the past 10 years. [117542]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 3 April 2000]: The estimated retail sales value of UK organic produce in the 1997 Mintel Market Intelligence Report on Organic and Ethical Foods is given in the table:
Year £ million £ million (at 1992 prices) 1992 93 93 1993 105 103 1994 121 118 1995 140 131 1996 200 179 19971 260 228 1 Estimate The Soil Association's Organic Food and Farming Report 1999 estimates the retail value of UK sales in 1997–98 and 1998–99 as £260 million and £390 million respectively.
§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many organic farms there were in the UK in each of the past 10 years; [117540]
(2) how many farms have been converted to organic farming in each of the past 10 years. [117541]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 3 April 2000]: The numbers of registered organic farmers and growers are given in the table:
Year Number of farmers/growers December 1994 715 December 1995 828 December 1996 865 December 1997 1,026 December 1998 1,462 November 1999 2,322 We do not have statistics for the years preceding December 1994.