Increase of organic farming in Poland
Organic farming in Poland is reviving after the downtime at the beginning of the pandemic. This is the result of the popularization and greater availability of bio products and the growing awareness of the need for systemic support for organic farmers.
There are more organic farms in Poland and the share of land intended for organic farming is growing. In 2021, they already amounted to 5% of the entire agricultural area (3.5% a year earlier), and the number of farms approached 20,000, which means an increase of 7.6% year on year, according to the latest data from the Central Statistical Office.
The latest data from the Central Statistical Office show that in 2021, the number of organic farms (including in the conversion period and with a certificate) in Poland was approx. 20,000. That's 7.6% more compared to 2020, when there were 18.6 thousand. Four voivodeships are in the lead, with more than half (about 58%) of all organic farms in the country. These are:
- Warmińsko-Mazurskie (17.3% of all organic farms),
- Podlaskie (16.9%),
- Zachodniopomorskie (12.1%) and
- Mazowieckie (11.6%).
During the year, the surface of land designated for organic farming in Poland also increased significantly. In 2020, it amounted to 509,000 ha, and in 2021 it increased by 40 thousand ha (by 7.9%), to the level of 549 thousand ha. This means that the share of land intended for
"bio" cultivation in the entire agricultural area in Poland increased from 3.5% up to 5%.
As indicated by the Central Statistical Office, after Poland's accession to the European Union, there was a dynamic development of organic farming. Over the years 2004–2013, the number of farms using organic production methods and the area of organic agricultural land increased more than sevenfold. The number of entities in 2013 was as much as 25.6 thousand, but from 2014 it began to decrease to the level of 18.6 thousand farms in 2020. Last year was the first in five years when the situation began to improve and almost 20,000 organic farming enterprises were registered in the official data of the country.
– The increase in the share of land intended for organic farming in the entire area after years of decline and stagnation is an important signal for the market.- says Łukasz Gębka from Farma Świętokszyska* The increase from 3.5% to 5% in one year is a great achievement. In fact, we have been observing an increase in interest in investing in organic crops for some time now. As a company with over 20 years of experience, we try to support beginning organic farmers in starting their own businesses. We share a passion for health and environmental protection. To maintain this trend, further educational activities are needed, showing the difference between conventional and organic farming, especially in the context of climate change. It is also of great importance to maintain and develop government support for farmers producing "bio" food.
Source: Pod Osłonami
*Farma Świętokrzyska is one of the largest Polish companies offering organic vegetables, fruits and preserves, running a certified organic farm. The company, which was established in 2002, currently grows over 30 types of organic vegetables and fruits on 348 hectares. In its own processing plant, it currently produces over 70 bio products based on healthy, proprietary recipes. Farma Świętokrzyska cooperates with large retail chains as well as wholesale and retail customers. It also offers its products in its own online store.