2,420 exhibitors (international share: 70 %) presented their products to some 40,000 trade visitors from 130 countries at this year's BioFach and Vivaness. The international share of visitors was approx. 41 %. Austria, Italy, the Netherlands and France made it to the top 5 countries for visitors in addition to Germany.

The assembled organic players at BioFach, the World Organic Trade Fair, and the parallel Vivaness, Trade Fair for Natural Personal Care and Wellness, which end today, used the occasion to announce more growth.

The German market grew by 9 % to 6.59 billion EUR in 2011, and international organic sales are just under 60 billion US dollars. Despite the financial crisis, BioFach's international patron, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movementsand its national supporting organization, Bund Ökologische Le (IFOAM), bensmittelwirtschaft (BÖLW - German Federation of the Organic Food Industry), assume more market growth in the future.

A survey by an independent institute shows that 93 % of the trade buyers were satisfied with their visit, and about 80 % already know they will travel to the world's biggest exhibition of organic products again in 2013.

Claus Rättich, Member of the Management Board of NürnbergMesse: ""The successful start to the year for the global organic sector focused completely on intensive international trade, the growing demand that is increasingly exceeding supply, the inspiring exchange of views and the great pleasure of seeing friends and colleagues again. The mood in the halls was good on all four days of the exhibition, although we had to accept a drop in the number of visitors.""

Besides India as Country of the Year, a trade policy event clearly indicated BioFach's pioneering role for the international market: The USA and EU signed an equivalence agreement on mutual recognition of their organic standards on the first day of the exhibition.

Save the date! The international organic sector meets next time in Nürnberg from 13-16 February 2013. The contract with Romania as Country of the Year 2013 is about to be signed.

2012.02.18            by Press Release BioFach & Vivaness, Barbara Böck