AUSTRALIAN organic producers are being offered up to 600c/kg for lamb, thanks to a niche order from the US.

Major meat processor T and R Pastoral is offering the contracts for organic lambs to be delivered early next year, at levels it says are at least 100c/kg above lamb rates.

However, to qualify, the lambs must be produced on farms accredited organic under the US Department of Agriculture classification system.

T and R Pastoral national small stock manager Paul Leonard said the company had an order for 1200-1500 lambs a week, or about 60,000 for the year.

The lambs were being sourced to supply a niche US market.

"The organic lamb is going to a supermarket, something similar to the David Jones food hall but much bigger," Mr Leonard said.

"The supermarket targets the top end.

"People who appreciate food but are not necessarily affluent, just love their food."

Australian lamb producers who already had organic certification would almost qualify for USDA organic status.

Some lamb producers were already certified.

"The two additional things we can see for the USDA accreditation is that Australian-certified organic producers can currently aerial bait for wild dogs, and use a product to control flystrike," Mr Leonard said.

"If a producer currently has Australian organic certification, and are not doing either of those things, then we understand they could become USDA accredited within a couple of months."

And while the US order and subsequent contracts were a boost for the organic lamb industry, Mr Leonard said any growth would be dependent on price.

"There certainly is demand for it (organic lamb) but at what level is hard to say," he said.

"The growth in organics, whether it's fruit or vegetables or meat, is largely dependent on price and how much the average consumer is prepared to pay."

The contracts, for lambs 20-32kg, are for January, February and March delivery.

The highest prices are offered for crossbred, Dorper and Dohne lambs, but Merinos, Damara-cross and SAMM lambs will still make 540c/kg carcass weight.

Mr Leonard said the contracts were offered to try to secure the supply of the lambs, which he believed might be difficult otherwise.