SHOPPERS are increasingly turning to organic and locally grown produce, according to a new report.

Farmers' markets held in the North-East and North Yorkshire are being highlighted as one of the reasons for the increased popularity of the food.

The Soil Association report shows that although sales of organic food in the UK have topped £1bn for the first time, research shows supermarkets' share of the organic market has fallen for the first time in five years, from 82 per cent to 81 per cent.

Part of the reason is the increasing popularity of farmers' markets, farm shops and direct delivery, which now account for a tenth of all organic sales, up by a third on last year.

Katrina Palmer runs Bluebell Organics, in Forcett, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, and is the local food produce initiatives co-ordinator for Teesdale and Weardale Farmers' Markets.

She said: "People are coming to farmers' markets because they want freshness and taste. The produce in supermarkets, even if it is organic, has had to travel however many miles and could be weeks old.

"We pick it the day before we sell it and people know where it has come from. The markets also have produce you can't buy in supermarkets. We have grown a yellow beetroot and it was very popular."

Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association, said: "The future for organic food is potentially very bright.

"The market is growing and imports are down because quality and availability of homegrown food is going up all the time.

"Shoppers are clearly showing that they want local food, giving a strong message to supermarkets to support this country's farmers."