West Sussex organic farmers have been promised Government backing to win a bigger share of the growing UK market.
But a minister ruled out trying to introduce controls on cheap imports, saying growth would have to be achieved through efficiency and marketing.
Organic farming minister Elliot Morley, speaking at Chichester today, announced that the Government was spending £20 million this year to support farmers wanting to convert their land to organic production.
Farmers in West Sussex have already received £800,000 in grants since the organic scheme was launched in 1999.
Mr Morley said 33 farmers in the county had entered 2,800 hectares of land into the organic scheme, which he was keen to see expanded.
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