Exploratory insights into consumption and commercialization of biological products during Covid-19 pandemic

BBackground: Organic farming is well developed all over the world and it is increasingly gaining supporters either by adhering to greener production techniques or by consuming the products thereby produced. Methods: In this scope a questionnaire has been developed to investigate the consumption habits and the commercialization of organic products. The questionnaire was approved by Ethical Committee and applied to a sample of Portuguese participants during summer 2020, under Covid-19 restrictions. Results: Based on the obtained results, organic farming is known by the majority of respondents and a large part of them consume organic foods, mostly in the category fruits and vegetables, with less expression in meat or dairy products. The reasons that lead to consuming organic products are related to the preservation of the environment, to the concern to help local producers and eliminate harmful substances such as pesticides from diet, thus contributing for an improved health. It was also observed that consumers purchase these products essentially in specialized physical stores, in supermarkets and in hypermarkets. Although the majority consume organic foods, there is still a small percentage of consumers who do not, and for those the reasons invoked for not consuming are essentially associated to the high prices of these products when compared to those from conventional agriculture. Conclusion: This research allowed concluding that during covid-19 pandemic the participants in this survey were more favourable to choosing fruits and vegetables from organic farming rather than from conventional agriculture, while for other types of food products was not observed a strong preference for organic farming.