WHILE the credit crunch may be forcing people to cut back on their spending, organic producers and farm shops have told how sales in their sector have not been adversely affected.

WHILE the credit crunch may be forcing people to cut back on their spending, organic producers and farm shops have told how sales in their sector have not been adversely affected.

Organic sales continue to grow with no apparent dip in demand, according to the Soil Association, which certifies more than 80 per cent of the UK's organic food.

Alison Youngman, owner of The Grange Farm Shop in Hasketon, near Woodbridge, said: “We haven't seen a real change in sales of organic food, at the moment we haven't noticed a pull away. I think people who choose organic food will still buy it regardless.”

Oliver Paul, director of Suffolk Food Hall in Wherstead, near Ipswich, said: “We haven't seen a drop in the sales of organic produce, sales of organic fruit and veg have actually increased by 31pc from June to July this year.

“We have seen that people are being more discerning about their shopping, rather than buy everything in supermarkets people are tending to buy the bulk of shop at the bigger stores but are coming to farm shops for select items, like meat and fruit and veg.”

Predictions are that as oil prices continue to push up the price of chemical fertilisers and energy costs, organic farming will gain a competitive advantage and become a more viable option for more farmers.