35 Икономика и управление на селското стопанство, 66, 4/2021 Marketing of local organic food: a case of urban Sri Lanka S. H. P. Malkanthi 1* , P. Sivashankar 2 1 & 2 Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka * E-mail: malkanthi@agri.sab.ac.lk Citation: Malkanthi, S. H. P., Sivashankar, P. (2021). Marketing of local organic food: a case of urban Sri Lanka. Ikonomika i upravlenie na selskoto stopanstvo, 66(4), 35-45 (Bg). Abstract This study aimed to assess the marketing of locally produced organic food in capital cities of six urban districts in Sri Lanka – Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kandy, Kurunegala, and Rathnapura. First, a situation analysis of the organic food markets was conducted to fnd out the existing market places and their nature. This was followed by a consumer survey for a sample of 600 consumers, from November 2018 to December 2019, to study the consumer awareness, willingness to buy organic food, and identify the constraints involved in purchasing of organic food. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. According to the situation analysis, Colombo district had the highest number of organic market places. The situation of the organic food marketing in urban Sri Lanka is at its initial stage with an average rate of growth, and a majority of the markets conduct irregular sales of organic food. As per the consumer survey, about 95% of respondents were knowledgeable of organic food, and 93% were willing to buy organic food. However, higher price levels, unavailability of some food items and discontinuous supply, poor trustworthiness on food with organic labels, and the lack of proper organic certifcation systems and market information were the main constraints in organic food marketing. Increasing the availability of organic food while developing an appropriate system of marketing, forming suitable certifcation systems for organic products, improving accessibility for certifcation bodies, and adopting successful marketing strategies are the suggested recommendations to enhance the marketing of local organic food in urban Sri Lanka. Key words: Organic certifcation; Organic food; Organic food consumers; Organic market places; Urban Sri Lank Introduction Organic food refers to food products that are produced, prepared, and processed through or- ganic agriculture or organic farming without the use of chemicals (Winter and Davis, 2006), and are becoming popular among consumers in most countries throughout the world at present due to their health benefts and environmental friendli- ness (Narmilan and Amuthani, 2015). The USDA defnition of organic food states that “organ- ic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conser- vation of soil and water to enhance environmen- tal quality for future generations” (USDA, 2018). Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are not treated with anti- biotics or growth hormones. Organic food is pro- duced without using most conventional pesticides or fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radi- ation (MedicneNet Newsletter, 2008). According to the defnition given by the Food Federation (IF- OAM), 2005, “organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosys- tems, and people. It relies on ecological process- es, biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local con- ditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation, and science to beneft the shared en- vironment and promote fair relationships and good quality of life for all involved”.