Over 24 million of hectares are currently devoted to organic farming around the world and continues growing.

Worldwide retail sales of organic products have reached US $ 25 billion. Organic farming is the fastest growing sector in the agribusiness activity.

World demand for organically produced food is still rising and provides new business opportunities for farmers around the world.

In Europe retail sales grew from US $ 1 billion in 1990 to US $10 billion in 2003.

At the same time the demand stays high and follows in growth.

In Mexico, the organic agriculture is sharply growing. The surface grew from 25,000 to more than 240,000 hectares during the last eight years. The Mexican organic products have been well accepted in the international market. Mexico is the largest producer of organic coffee and it is the world leader in this product.

The main regions with organic production are: Chiapas, Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Colima, Michoacan, B.C.S., Guerrero, Jalisco, Veracruz y Sonora.

Around 90% of the Mexican organic production is oriented to the exports. Europe Union, United States and Canada as well as Asia are the principal markets. The incomes from organic production are around 200 million of US dollars annually.

Currently, more than 60-70 thousands farmers are dedicated to organic products.

In Chiapas they are 102 thousands hectares dedicated to the organic culture and 219 growers organizations, 197 of them count with certification and 22 are in transition with products like: coffee, cocoa, honey bee, coconut, chayote, mangoes, potatoes, rambutan, papaya, tomato and others.

The organic production was focused mainly to the culture of coffee in 45,000 hectares with 22,626 certified producers that are integrated in 122 organizations and generate 453,000 quintals of this grain.