Food scares drive organic food sales in Japan.(Brief Article)

Widely-publicized food scares -- including mad cow disease and contaminated milk products -- combined with increased consumer awareness are driving Japanese consumers to buy organic produce in record numbers.

In 2000, the international market for organic food reached an estimated $20 billion, with Japan accounting for nearly $3 billion of that total, according to the International Federation of Agricultural Movements. Exact figures are not available, because sales of organic products are not segregated from sales of conventional products, but other sources cite similar figures.

Organic fruit and vegetables -- most commonly carrots, onions, sweet potatoes, …