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An organic farming advocate says the industry is suffering something akin to growing pains in Australia, partly because supermarkets are increasingly stocking the produce.

Dr Andrew Monk, from the Biological Farmers of Australia, says the big supermarket chains have put organic meat, fruit and vegetables within reach of more consumers.

“More availability has meant more sales, it’s been as simple as that. And that, in turn, has led to producers then thinking we should produce and supply into that space,” he said.

“There’s opportunities there, but the challenge is always in an emerging market like ours that there’s always winners and losers.

“There’s a bit of attrition going on.

“There’s been some people leaving the industry, even though overall there’s been net growth both in terms of producer numbers and, more interestingly, in average size of farm and average turnover.”

Dr Monk says the industry is seeing a demographic shift at the producer end.

“In the past, you probably saw less traditional, multi-generation farming families move into the organic space, it tended to be almost innovators from the city,” he said.