SPACE 2011: French organic poultry, egg production records double digit growth

The number of broiler and layer hens raised organically in France grew by 16% in 2010, according to BRIO, the regional interdisciplinary organic association, at SPACE 2011.
The total number of broilers raised organically grew by 18% in comparison with 2009, and the sector was worth €109 million (US$149 million). French organic egg production was worth €209 million in 2010, an increase of 6.6%, while in volume terms the number of eggs produced rose by 16%.
The regions of the Loire, Aquitaine and the Auvergne recorded in the highest increases in organic broiler production, while Brittany and the Auvergne witnessed in the greatest increase in organic egg production. The total number of organic farms in France reached 20,604, accounting for some 4% of all farms in the country. Between 2008 and 2010, the number of organic farms increased by 55%.