Organic farming on an upward trend in Romania
The Romanian Ambassador for Organic Farming, Viorel Morărescu, also director in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR), says there is a growing trend in the number of Romanian operators registered in organic farming and land use.
"Lately, there has been an upward trend, both in the number of operators who are registered for organic farming and in their areas. While in 2022 we had 13,000 operators and 600,000 hectares, in 2023 we have 14,000 operators enrolled in organic farming and almost 700,000 hectares. (…) In organic farming there are rules, norms, procedures. It's a bit stricter and better organized, because we are talking about rules and procedures that have to be followed when problems arise. There is a European alert system and the batch or product in question is blocked, a counter-check is carried out to see whether things are really in order or not," Romania's ambassador for organic farming, Viorel Morărescu, told the Agerpres news agency.
Health and environmental benefits
Morărescu said that despite the positive trend, there is a need for promotion and awareness-raising, both among producers and consumers, about what organic farming means and its importance. "I recommend organic products because, in addition to the fact that they are safe, healthy products in terms of traceability, as there are inspection and certification bodies that check these products, I believe that organic products protect the environment, the health of plants, animals and people. I believe that by the association of producers from the organic sector - we could create those bio-districts for organic farming. And there are countries in the European Union that have created those bio-districts as part of the food system (...). I believe that the future is healthy food, because food is a component of the quality of life", said Viorel Morărescu, adding that although some organic products are more expensive, they bring health benefits and thus reduce costs significantly.
Potential highlighted
According to the ministry representative, Romania has the natural and human potential to develop organic farming, which means reducing the consumption of chemical fertilizers and plant protection products, and thus making the environment and water healthier. "Organic farming means biodiversity, no genetically modified organisms, crop rotation is obligatory, everything is for our wellbeing, for a clean and healthy life," he says.
The statements were made during the second edition of the European Organic and Local Traditions Festival which took place during 6-8 September in the allegorical village created on the Fâncel plateau of Ibănești commune. The aim of the festival was to launch an initiative to promote organic farming in eastern Europe and to launch the "BIO-Carpatica" brand, a joint brand of the eight countries crossed by the Carpathian Mountains.
The LVVN-team in Bucharest has been following the development of this sector in Romania for the last couple of years. Although rather fragmented and not stimulated enough by domestic consumer demand, the sector is growing and could provide opportunities for the Netherlands.