Organic certification and the market: organic exports from and imports to China

Purpose - This paper aims to chart the breadth and acceleration of organic markets domestic and international and discuss the obstacles and possible ways that confront enterprises who engage in organic exports from and imports to China. Design/methodology/approach - There is much extant research that investigates the organic certification and its market development in the developed world. However, little emphasis is given to China, the highest growing organic market. This research aims to narrow this gap in the literature by reviewing organic certification and the market in China. Findings - China's organic products are mainly exported to developed countries, but the growing affluence of Chinese consumers and expanding foreign expatiate community in China is developing a domestic market for organic food. Organic products are increasingly being imported. Organic standards and certification system in China have been established and under the implementation, with all stages of the organic marketing chain regulated by law and guaranteed. The lack of an equivalent or compliant system forces Chinese organic exports to enter the international market through multi-certification, and foreign organic imports to the China market possibly through certification by a CNAS-ACB. Originality/value - This paper provides a unique insight into a wide range of China organic certification systems and the mechanism for organic exports from and imports to China.