Closing the organic delivery gap: Policy levers for stronger organic supply chains

Summary

The current focus on area-based targets and support underestimates the importance of how value chains can constraint sector growth through weak coordination, limited processing and aggregation capacity, and lack of transparency.
If markets cannot absorb added supply reliably, demand signals are uncertain, logistics are fragmented, and organic products risk downgrading to conventional. If margins are squeezed, and investments in conversion become harder to justify, especially for smaller operators.
Levers for supply sector development include creating a market pull, improve fairness in contracts, margins and risk sharing, invest in processing and aggregation, especially for perishable fresh and livestock products, and improve coordination and data sharing.
Closing these “delivery gaps” is essential for organic sector growth as well as reaching wider policy goals—competitiveness, rural development, health, climate and biodiversity.
The aim for organic value chain development should be to create and strengthen diverse marketing channels reaching a wide range of consumers and citizens in line with organic values and principles.