Poland boosts organic production

Organic farming in Poland has taken off in recent years and looks set to reach 500,000 ha by 2013.

Due in part to the EU’s attractive financial incentives to convert to organic farming, Poland is on its way to reaching the planned target of 25,000 organic farms and 500,000 ha of organic land by 2013, according to the International Centre for Organic Agriculture of Central and Eastern Europe in Dresden.

In 2007, the country boasted 11,887 organic farms over an area of 285,878 ha, which represents a 1.8 per cent share of the total agricultural land in Poland.

Statistics for 2008 demonstrate a rise to some 310,000 ha. However, over half of the organic farms (7,385 farms) are reportedly still in the conversion stage, which means that significant increases in the availability of local organic products will not occur before 2010.

Source: www.fruitnet.com