The organic food industry has reported a 4.2 per cent rise in retail sales to SFr1.738 billion ($1.926 billion) in 2011, nine years after first breaking the billion barrier.

However the percentage of organic farms in the Swiss farming sector has remained stagnant over the decade at 11 per cent.

Bio Suisse, the organic farming umbrella group, said more farmers were needed to meet domestic demand for organic produce, particularly for cereals and oilseed.

Organic foods have now reached six per cent market share overall and account for eight per cent of the fresh food market.

So far this year 220 new farms have informed Bio Suisse of their intention to convert to certified organic methods in 2012.

In 2011 there were 5,618 organic farms in Switzerland working according to Bio Suisse guidelines and a further 387 following the state regulations for organic farming.   

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