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Organic farming statistics
For many years now, I have been collecting data on the number of certified
organic farms and land area managed organically and in conversion in Europe.
You will see from the following data that there has been a significant
expansion. This is to a large extent policy driven as most (western)
European countries now provide financial support for conversion to and
continued organic farming, but market growth has also been important.
I am keen to expand this data collection to other parts of the world and
would be grateful for any relevant data which you may have. Updates will be
circulated on SANET and ECOL-AGRIC from time to time.
NB The table columns should be formatted correctly if you read/print out
this message in Courier 10pt.
European certified organic and in-conversion land area (ha)
Year 1985 1990 1995 1996 % of total
Est. agric. area
European Union
Austria 10000 22500 293877 380000 10.9%
Belgium 500 1200 3956 4000 0.3%
Denmark 4340 11581 28000 40000 1.5%
Finland 1000 11000 28000 30000 1.2%
France 45000 65000 85000 85000 0.3%
Germany 29100 59734 272139 310484 1.8%
Greece n/a 150 3500 3500 0.1%
Ireland 1000 3700 6457 7000 0.2%
Italy 5000 11000 154028 200000 1.2%
Luxembourg 350 550 500 500 0.4%
Netherlands 2450 7469 13000 15000 0.8%
Portugal 200 550 3000 3000 0.1%
Spain 2140 3650 20300 21000 0.1%
Sweden 4500 38890 84000 101458 3.3%
UK 6000 20000 32476 47901 0.3%
Total EU 111580 256974 1028233 1248843 0.9%
Other western Europe
Norway 280 2000 5768 7817 0.8%
Switzerland 3000 10000 31815 59400 3.8%
Central and eastern Europe
Croatia 50 50 0.0%
Czech Rep 3480 14982 15000 0.4%
Estonia 1600 1600 0.1%
Georgia 100 100 n/a
Hungary 8630 8500 0.1%
Latvia 1250 1250 0.0%
Lithuania 650 650 0.0%
Moldova 600 600 0.0%
Poland 300 3500 3500 0.0%
Russia 11941 20000 0.0%
Slovakia 13000 13000 n/a
Slovenia 70 70 0.0%
Total CEE 0 3780 56373 64320 n/a
Europe total 114860 272754 1122189 1380380 n/a
Number of certified organic farms in Europe
Year 1985 1990 1995 1996 % of total
Est. farms
European Union
Austria 500 1500 18144 25000 n/a
Belgium 50 150 203 200 0.28%
Denmark 100 523 950 1000 1.23%
Finland 100 300 1850 1900 n/a
France 2500 2850 3500 3500 0.37%
Germany 1592 2685 5866 6068 1.05%
Greece 25 500 500 0.05%
Ireland 8 97 300 300 0.18%
Italy 600 1300 8554 10000 0.38%
Luxembourg 10 11 12 12 0.30%
Netherlands 215 399 582 600 0.48%
Portugal 1 34 120 120 0.02%
Spain 264 350 1000 1000 0.06%
Sweden 150 1891 3000 4000 n/a
UK 300 620 715 819 0.34%
Total EU 6390 12735 45296 55019 n/a
Other western Europe
Norway 40 273 738 1000
Switzerland 600 900 2121 3925
Central and eastern Europe
Croatia 10 10
Czech Rep 30 181 180
Estonia 50 50
Georgia 5 5
Hungary 80 80
Latvia 50 50
Lithuania 34 35
Moldova 5 5
Poland 27 225 225
Russia 15 20
Slovakia 50 50
Slovenia 10 10
Total CEE 0 57 715 700
Total Europe 7030 13965 48870 60644
Nic Lampkin
Welsh Institute of Rural Studies
Stapledon Building, Penglais Campus
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
GB-Dyfed SY23 3DD.
Tel: +44 (0)1970 622248
Fax: +44 (0)1970 622238