Since the mid-1990s the market for organic foods has been expanding rapidly in many developed countries. FAO and the International Trade Centre (ITC) estimate that world retail sales of organic foods reached US$20 billion in 2001, up 25 percent from $16 billion in 20001 . ITC (2002a) has forecast that sales will range between US$23 and 25 billion in 2003 and reach some 30 billion in 2005. This rapid expansion contrasts with the slow growth in sales in the conventional food sector. Furthermore, organic products have tended to fetch higher prices than their conventional equivalents. These two factors have generated considerable interest among farmers, many of whom face declining prices for their products.