Organic production - Infopage

An overview of organic areas and producers, including specific CAP support.

Background information

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) recognises and supports the role of organic farming in responding to consumer demand for more environmentally friendly farming practices. Therefore, the Rural Development policy provides CAP specific support for farmers' conversion to organic production and/or the maintenance of farmers producing organically. Furthermore, in the first pillar, organic farms benefit from the green direct payment without the need to fulfil any further obligations because of their overall significant contribution to environmental objectives.

The EU organic sector is developing rapidly, as illustrated in this dashboard. But the development varies significantly between Member States and sectors.

To get more information about support to organic farming under the rural development policy in your country, please see below and click here.

In case data are missing for some Member States, EU totals are calculated with the available information.

Figure: Area under organic farming

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Context
C.19 Agricultural area under organic farming
total (certified plus in conversion)
CTX_SEC_19_1c
ha UAA
Eurostat: org_cropar

Figure: Share of organic farming area in total UAA (%)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Context
C.19 Agricultural area under organic farming
share (certified plus in conversion)
CTX_SEC_19_2
% total UAA
Eurostat: org_cropar and apro_cpsh1

Notes:

  • UAA: Utilised agricultural area
  • The source for the total UAA is the crop production statistics (Eurostat).

MAP: Share of organic farming area in total UAA by MS (%)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Context
C.19 Agricultural area under organic farming
share (certified plus in conversion)
CTX_SEC_19_2
% total UAA
Eurostat: org_cropar and apro_cpsh1

Notes:

  • UAA: Utilised agricultural area
  • The source for the total UAA is the crop production statistics (Eurostat).

Graph: Share of organic farming area in total UAA by MS (%)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Context
C.19 Agricultural area under organic farming
share (certified plus in conversion)
CTX_SEC_19_2
% total UAA
Eurostat: org_cropar and apro_cpsh1

Notes:

  • UAA: Utilised agricultural area
  • The source for the total UAA is the crop production statistics (Eurostat).

Graph: Average specific CAP support per ha

Unit: EUR/ha (Organic support in rural development programmes)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Output Pillar II
OIR_06 Physical area supported (ha)
physical area supported for M11
OIR_06_1.2
supported hectare
CATS
Output Pillar II
OIR_01 Total public expenditure
total: EU funds + national co-financing
OIR_01a_2.11
euro
DOE
Output Pillar II
OIR_01 Total public expenditure
total: EU funds
OIR_01b_2.11
euro
DOE

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
National co-financing
(OIR_01a_2.11 - OIR_01b_2.11)/OIR_06_1.2
EU funds
OIR_01b_2.11/OIR_06_1.2

Notes:

  • CATS is the Clearance of Accounts Audit Trail System, i.e. the database used for audit, based on information received from Member States.
  • The Declarations of expenditure for European agricultural fund (DOE) are quarterly notifications of Member States expenditure.
  • In the CAP programming period 2014 - 2020, there is an "Organic farming" measure eligible for rural development funding. Member States can support farmers' conversion to organic production and/or the maintenance of farmers producing organically. The level of aid is generally higher in the conversion phase.

Graph: Organic area receiving specific CAP support (1000ha)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Output Pillar II
OIR_06 Physical area supported (ha)
physical area supported for M11
OIR_06_1.2
supported hectare
CATS

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
Selected Member State
R.01_PII
European Union
R.01_PII

Notes:

  • CATS is the Clearance of Accounts Audit Trail System, i.e. the database used for audit, based on information received from Member States.
  • In the CAP programming period 2014 - 2020, there is an "Organic farming" measure eligible for rural development funding. Member States can support farmers' conversion to organic production and/or the maintenance of farmers producing organically. The level of aid is generally higher in the conversion phase.
  • Please note in particular that:
    • FR has experienced a delay in making the payments for the organic measure in 2015 and 2016.
    • NL does not support organic farming through the EAFRD, but with national funds.
    • For MT, the support target in the whole programming period 2014-2020 is low (28 hectares) and the measure has not been launched yet.
    • In IT, the support to organic farming was low in 2015 because most of Regional Development Programs in IT were approved in the 2nd half of 2015, so there was no time to launch the organic farming measure.
    • In SE, the share of organic area granted support is low because EU support is granted only for conversion and not for the maintenance of organic farming.
    • Similarly, in RO, BG, ES the share of organic area granted support is around 50%, because some regions finance only conversion.

Graph: Organic area and producers (1000ha)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Context
C.19 Agricultural area under organic farming
total (certified plus in conversion)
CTX_SEC_19_1c
ha UAA
Eurostat
Output Pillar I
OIH_03 Organic farming
Producers
OIH_03_02b
Number of organic producers
Eurostat

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
Area under organic farming
CTX_SEC_19_1c
Organic operators
OIH_03_02b

Notes:

  • The data series on organic farming start in 2012, when Eurostat questionnaire was changed to better fit the legal requirements imposed by the Regulation (EC) 889/2008.

Graph: Share of organic area receiving specific CAP support

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Output Pillar II
OIR_06 Physical area supported (ha)
physical area supported for M11 (AEC)
OIR_06_1.2
supported hectare
CATS
Context
C.19 Agricultural area under organic farming
total (certified plus in conversion)
CTX_SEC_19_1c
ha UAA
Eurostat: org_cropar

Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:

Legend
Code/Formula
With support
OIR_06_1.2/CTX_SEC_19_1c
Without support
(CTX_SEC_19_1c - OIR_06_1.2)/CTX_SEC_19_1c

Notes:

  • CATS is the Clearance of Accounts Audit Trail System, i.e. the database used for audit, based on information received from Member States.
  • The data series on organic farming start in 2012, when Eurostat questionnaire was changed to better fit the legal requirements imposed by the Regulation (EC) 889/2008.
  • Please note in particular that:
    • FR has experienced a delay in making the payments for the organic measure in 2015 and 2016.
    • NL does not support organic farming through the EAFRD, but with national funds.
    • For MT, the support target in the whole programming period 2014-2020 is low (28 hectares) and the measure has not been launched yet.
    • In IT, the support to organic farming was low in 2015 because most of Regional Development Programs in IT were approved in the 2nd half of 2015, so there was no time to launch the organic farming measure.
    • In SE, the share of organic area granted support is low because EU support is granted only for conversion and not for the maintenance of organic farming.
    • Similarly, in RO, BG, ES the share of organic area granted support is around 50%, because some regions finance only conversion.

Graph: Share of animals held by organic farmers (%)

Indicator(s) used in the graph:

Type
Name
Parameter
Code
Unit
Source
Result Pillar I
RPI_10 Importance organic farming
Cattle
RPI_10_2a
%
Eurostat
Result Pillar I
RPI_10 Importance organic farming
Goat
RPI_10_2b
%
Eurostat
Result Pillar I
RPI_10 Importance organic farming
Sheep
RPI_10_2c
%
Eurostat
Result Pillar I
RPI_10 Importance organic farming
Pig
RPI_10_2d
%
Eurostat

Notes:

  • The data series on organic farming start in 2012, when Eurostat questionnaire was changed to better fit the legal requirements imposed by the Regulation (EC) 889/2008.