This report The State of Sustainable Markets 2019: Statistics and Emerging Trends provides updates on the evolution of certified agriculture and forestry. The International Trade Centre (ITC), together with the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture and the International Institute for Sustainable Development, provides data on about 14 major sustainability standards for bananas, cocoa, coffee, cotton, oil palm, soybeans, sugarcane, tea and forestry products. This report aims to help shape decisions of policymakers, producers and businesses, working to address systemic labour and environmental challenges through certified sustainable production.
Data from the latest survey demonstrate how certified agriculture and forestry continue to grow, in line with an expanding global population and increasing consumption. The rising share of total area and production volume covered by voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) suggests there is significant potential for further growth.