Unlike conventional farmers, organic farmers cannot just expect to grow and sell large volumes of produce without significant investment in planning, communication and marketing strategy, organic growers have been warned.

Experienced growers say continued discussion of markets is also critical.

“People interested in organic really need to investigate and understand the market and where they will fit in,” says Elaine Murray, large scale organic horticulturalist from Natures Haven in Coleambally, NSW.

"Organic has plenty of opportunity but it is still a smaller, niche sector.

“Unlike conventional farmers, organic farmers cannot just expect to grow and sell large volumes of produce without significant investment in planning, communication and marketing strategy.”

The NSW Organic Roadshow will provide an opportunity for growers and others interested in organic production to network and learn about organic systems in regional centres, to help meet these challenges.

The NSW local agricultural sector is keen to capitalise on increasing interest in organic, with new data commissioned by Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) revealing NSW has more organic operations than has any other State.

Scott Seaman, from the Bathurst Centre for Organic Farming with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, says organic in NSW has significant growth potential.

“Opportunity for organic farming has been highlighted in recent market research and the NSW government seeks to be involved in that growth," Scott Seaman says.

“Both NSW farmers and the general public are looking at organic in the climate of long term rising commodity prices, climate change and drought, with consumers increasingly interested in sustainability and ethics of food production.”

Current organic research and demonstration activities are being conducted at Bathurst and Yanco to identify best practice organic production techniques.

The tour is: Bathurst on September 5, Narrandera on Sep 6 followed by Armidale on November 28 and Coffs Harbour on Nov 29.

* More information: www.bfa.com.au