Organic farming growing against the grain

Each week two farm holdings obtain the lable "organic farm". This means organic farming is growing, whereas in the agricultural/horticultural sector as a whole there are about 75 farmers a week across the country who quit.

Currently the number of organic farmis is not even 1 in 1000, using 1.3% of the total area of cultivated land. In 2000 the number of organic farms increased to over 900. Another 225 holdings are adjusting their manner of production in such a way that they are allowed to use the ‘organic’ lable within two years time.

Mixed holdings dominate

Organic farming is most often found in mixed holdings – that is, holdings combining crop growing and livestock, or arable and horticultural crops. Organic farming under glass only takes up 0.8% of the area used for horticultural crop growing under glass. The area used for organic horticulture under glass nearly doubled from 1999 to 2000 to a total of 83 hectares. The introduction of organic pesticides plays a major role in this increase.

Organic farming per sector, 2000

Flevoland leader

In the Flevoland polders almost 6 in 100 agricultural landparcels is used for growing organic crops. In Zeeland on the other hand there is organic farming on only 0.5% of the agricultural land . This may be due to the very limited number of livestock holdings in Zeeland.

Land used for organic farming, 2000

Cor Pierik