KAZALCI OKOLJA

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The response of agricultural holdings to the agricultural policy and favourable market opportunities, which support the spreading of organic farming has been growing every year. The area intended for organic farming has increased in the period 1999–2020 from 2,400 ha to 52,078 ha, or from 0.5% to 10.8% of the total utilised agricultural area. The structure of agricultural land with organic farming is strongly dominated by grassland (80% in 2020), which shows that livestock farms more frequently convert to organic farming.


This indicator shows the area of land included in the organic farming and its share in the total utilized agricultural area in Slovenia. It covers all areas included in the control of organic farming, i.e. those areas where organic farming has already been carried out, and the areas in the process of converting to organic farming. The indicator does not provide direct information on the environmental efficiency of the measure but points to the state of and response of the agricultural holdings to the agricultural policy and changing social trends that support such production.

The indicator shows the agricultural area (in ha) in organic farming and its share in the total utilized agricultural area, the structure of organic farming by type of agricultural land use, the share of organic farming by the Slovenian municipalities and comparison of the extent of the organic farming in Slovenia with the other EU Member countries.


Charts

Figure KM08-1: Organic farming area in Slovenia
Sources: 

SORS, 2021

Show data

Organic farming area, total [ha]

Permanent grassland [ha]

Arable land [ha]

Of which vegetables and strawberries [ha]

Permanent crops [ha]

of which Orchards [ha]

Vineyards [ha]

Olive growes [ha]

Utilised agricultural area (UAA), total [ha]

Share of organic farming area in total UAA [%]

1999

2400

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

498591

0.50

2000

5446

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

508960

1.10

2001

10828

10000

721

41

107

55

52

0

509624

2.10

2002

13828

12800

908

58

120

65

55

0

505462

2.70

2003

20018

18500

1368

68

150

100

50

0

509709

3.90

2004

23018.93

20908

1721.74

81.77

389.19

335.62

49.09

4.48

490520

4.70

2005

23169.14

21669.79

1066

141.57

433.35

359.57

67.22

6.56

508759

4.60

2006

26830.70

24458.25

1683.85

96.49

688.60

536.19

125.02

27.39

490318

5.50

2007

29322.02

25796.49

2651.89

107.80

873.64

668.64

184

21

498466

5.90

2008

29836.41

26309.02

2608.18

101.22

919.21

712.31

190.68

16.22

492424

6.10

2009

29388.42

25432.39

2922.50

124.20

1033.53

780.28

203.30

49.95

468496

6.30

2010

30688.52

26189.72

3329.69

122.39

1169.11

793.14

296.94

76.60

482653

6.40

2011

32148.74

27531.13

3383.65

151.07

1233.96

855.10

287.24

91.62

458195

7

2012

35100.67

29814.13

3787.22

183.56

1499.32

988.37

324.10

184.53

479653

7.30

2013

38664.49

32527.06

4383.45

232.60

1753.98

1144.31

401.34

208.33

478888

8.10

2014

41237.21

34595.80

4731.66

214.42

1909.75

1260.08

421.81

226.17

482218.40

8.60

2015

42188.49

34653.27

5359.09

281

2176.13

1466.10

495.16

214.11

476862

8.80

2016

43578.76

35494.22

5700.48

267.01

2384.06

1607.95

536.06

240.05

477671

9.10

2017

46222.35

37606.65

5942.30

227.09

2673.40

1869.74

561.11

242.55

481415

9.60

2018

47848.28

38700.45

6270.03

245.24

2877.80

1962.10

657.04

258.66

477296

10

2019

49638.28

40027.51

6520.37

307.53

3090.40

2106.09

705.79

278.27

479822

10.35

2020

52078.47

41903.26

6894.89

319.03

3280

2231.99

766.42

281.35

483863

10.76

Figure KM08-2: The structure of organic farming area by type of agricultural land use in the period 2001–2020
Sources: 

SORS, 2021

Show data

Permanent grassland [%]

Arable land [%]

Permanent crops [%]

Permanent grassland [ha]

Arable land [ha]

Permanent crops [ha]

Organic farming area, total [ha]

2001

92.35

6.66

0.99

10000

721

107

10828

2002

92.57

6.57

0.87

12800

908

120

13828

2003

92.42

6.83

0.75

18500

1368

150

20018

2004

90.83

7.48

1.69

20908

1721.74

389.19

23018.93

2005

93.53

4.60

1.87

21669.79

1066

433.35

23169.14

2006

91.16

6.28

2.57

24458.25

1683.85

688.60

26830.70

2007

87.98

9.04

2.98

25796.49

2651.89

873.64

29322.02

2008

88.18

8.74

3.08

26309.02

2608.18

919.21

29836.41

2009

86.54

9.94

3.52

25432.39

2922.50

1033.53

29388.42

2010

85.34

10.85

3.81

26189.72

3329.69

1169.11

30688.52

2011

85.64

10.52

3.84

27531.13

3383.65

1233.96

32148.74

2012

84.94

10.79

4.27

29814.13

3787.22

1499.32

35100.67

2013

84.13

11.34

4.54

32527.06

4383.45

1753.98

38664.49

2014

83.89

11.47

4.63

34595.80

4731.66

1909.75

41237.21

2015

82.14

12.70

5.16

34653.27

5359.09

2176.13

42188.49

2016

81.45

13.08

5.47

35494.22

5700.48

2384.06

43578.76

2017

81.36

12.86

5.78

37606.65

5942.30

2673.40

46222.35

2018

80.88

13.10

6.01

38700.45

6270.03

2877.80

47848.28

2019

80.64

13.14

6.23

40027.51

6520.37

3090.40

49638.28

2020

80.46

13.24

6.30

41903.26

6894.89

3280.32

52078.47

Figure KM08-3: Share of organic farming in total utilised agricultural area in EU–27
Sources: 

Eurostat, 2021

Show data

2005[%]

2009[%]

2010[%]

2012[%]

2013[%]

2014[%]

2015[%]

2016[%]

2017[%]

2018[%]

2019[%]

2005[ha]

2009[ha]

2010[ha]

2012[ha]

2013[ha]

2014[ha]

2015[ha]

2016[ha]

2017[ha]

2018[ha]

2019[ha]

Malta

0.10

0.50

0.20

0.32

0.06

0.29

0.25

0.21

0.35

0.41

0.47

14

26

24

37

7

34

30

24

41

47

55

Ireland

0.80

1.10

1.10

1.16

1.20

1.16

1.65

1.72

1.66

2.63

1.63

34912

47864

47864

52793

53812

51871

73037

76701

74336

118699

73952

Bulgaria

0.20

0.20

0.50

0.76

1.13

0.96

2.37

3.20

2.72

2.56

2.34

0

12321

25648

39138

56287

47914

118552

160620

136618

128839

117779

United Kingdom

3.50

4.20

4.10

3.41

3.24

3.02

2.89

2.82

2.85

2.64

2.62

608952

721726

699638

590011

558718

521475

495929

490205

497742

457378

459275

Romania

0.70

1.20

1.30

2.10

2.06

2.09

1.77

1.67

1.93

2.43

2.86

0

168288

182706

288261

286896

289252

245924

226309

258471

326260

395228

Poland

1

2.30

3.30

4.51

4.65

4.56

4.03

3.72

3.41

3.33

3.49

161511

367062

521970

655499

669863

657902

580731

536579

494978

484676

507637

Netherlands

2.50

2.60

2.50

2.61

2.65

2.67

2.67

3.03

3.31

3.50

3.75

48765

49330

46233

48038

48936

49159

49273

54350

59209

63809

68068

Luxembourg

2.40

2.70

2.80

3.14

3.39

3.43

3.21

3.47

4.15

4.39

4.42

3158

3614

3614

4130

4447

4490

4216

4528

5444

5782

5814

Cyprus

1

2.60

2.80

3.38

4.03

3.63

3.72

4.94

4.61

4.55

4.98

1698

3184

3184

3923

4315

3887

4699

5550

5616

6022

6240

Hungary

2.20

2.40

2.40

2.45

2.45

2.34

2.43

3.48

3.73

3.92

5.71

128576

140292

127605

130607

130990

124841

129735

186322

199683

209382

303190

Belgium

1.70

3

3.60

4.48

4.67

5

5.17

5.80

6.28

6.56

6.85

22994

41459

49005

59718

62471

66704

68818

78452

83508

89025

93119

Croatia

0

0

0

2.40

3.13

4.03

4.94

6.05

6.46

6.94

7.19

0

14069

15913

31904

40660

50054

75883

93593

96618

103166

108127

France

1.90

1.90

2.90

3.55

3.66

3.87

4.54

5.29

5.99

7.01

7.72

550488

677513

845442

1030881

1060755

1118845

1322911

1537351

1744420

2034115

2240797

Germany

4.70

5.60

5.90

5.76

6.04

6.18

6.34

6.82

6.82

7.34

7.75

807406

947115

990702

959832

1008926

1033807

1060291

1135941

1138272

1221303

1290839

Lithuania

2.30

4.80

5.20

5.51

5.74

5.57

7.11

7.50

7.98

8.13

8.14

64544

129055

143644

156539

165885

164390

213579

221665

234134

239691

242118

Portugal

6.20

4.30

5.80

5.48

5.31

5.74

6.53

6.74

7.04

5.93

8.16

233458

157179

210981

200833

197295

212346

241375

245052

253786

213118

293213

Spain

3.10

6.60

6.70

7.49

6.85

7.26

8.24

8.48

8.73

9.28

9.66

807569

1602871

1615047

1756548

1610129

1710475

1968570

2018802

2082173

2246475

2354916

Greece

7.60

8.50

8.40

9.01

7.36

6.71

7.69

6.51

7.96

9.32

10.26

288737

326252

309823

462618

383606

362826

407069

342584

410140

492627

528752

Slovakia

4.60

7.50

9.10

8.53

8.18

9.37

9.47

9.75

9.90

9.85

10.31

90206

145490

174471

164360

157848

180307

181882

187024

189148

188986

197565

Slovenia

4.60

6.30

6.40

7.32

8.07

8.55

8.85

9.12

9.60

10.01

10.35

23499

29388

30689

35101

38664

41237

42188

43579

46222

47848

49638

Denmark

4.90

5.90

6.10

7.31

6.44

6.25

6.33

7.81

8.60

9.75

10.87

134129

156433

162903

194706

169310

165773

166788

204950

226307

256711

285526

Finland

6.50

7.20

7.40

8.65

9.07

9.29

9.91

10.47

11.41

13.09

13.48

147587

166172

169168

197751

204810

210649

225235

238240

259271

297442

306484

Latvia

6.80

8.70

9.20

10.63

9.89

10.86

12.29

13.42

13.92

14.47

14.79

118612

160175

166320

195658

185752

203443

231608

259146

268870

280383

289796

Italy

7.30

8.10

8.60

9.30

10.60

10.91

11.79

13.99

14.67

15.17

15.16

1069462

1106683

1113742

1167362

1317177

1387913

1492571

1796333

1908570

1957937

1993225

Czechia

7.10

10.60

12.40

13.29

13.47

13.44

13.68

14

14.09

14.76

15.19

254982

376923

435610

468670

474231

472663

478033

488591

496277

519910

535185

Sweden

7

12.80

14.30

15.76

16.50

16.53

17.14

18.30

19.16

20.29

20.43

222738

391524

438693

477684

500996

501831

518983

552695

576845

608754

613964

Estonia

7.20

11

12.80

14.86

15.65

15.96

15.68

18.02

20.01

20.98

22.33

59741

102305

121569

142065

151164

155560

155806

180852

196441

206590

220737

Austria

16.70

18.50

19.50

18.62

18.40

19.35

20.30

21.25

23.37

24.08

25.33

479216

518172

538210

533230

526689

525521

552141

571423

620656

639097

671703

EU

3.80

4.70

5.10

5.64

5.70

5.78

6.20

6.68

7.03

7.50

7.92

6362954

8548416

9174505

10047896

10070639

10315169

11105856

11935317

12560788

13438168

14252939

Slika KM08-4: UAA with organic farming by municipalities in 2020

Goals

  • To include 64,000 ha of utilised agricultural area into organic farming by 2013;
  • To include 20% of utilised agricultural area into organic farming by 2015;
  • To include 55,000 ha of utilised agricultural area in organic farming by 2020;
  • To include 55,000 ha of utilised agricultural area in organic farming by 2023.

Organic farming is a special form of sustainable management of natural resources in line with the principles of raising the quality of food, improving the animal welfare, preserving biodiversity, reducing environmental pollution and of the sustainable rural development. The use of synthetic plant protection products and easily soluble mineral fertilisers, growth regulators and hormones, genetically modified organisms, etc. is not allowed on areas intended for organic farming. Since 2001, organic farming is regulated by organic farming legislation (Ur. l. RS, št. 72/18, popr. 17/19).

In Slovenia, the organic farming started to spread in the late 1990s and in 1999, the farmers had the chance to claim support for this type of production for the first time. In 2001, support for the organic farming was included in the Slovenian agri-environmental program, which after the EU accession in 2004 became a part of the Rural Development Programme of the Republic of Slovenia. Increasing market opportunities (increased demand for organic food) and stimulative institutional environment, have contributed to the increased growth of the share of agricultural holdings and agricultural areas engaged in organic farming.

In 1999, the control of organic farming included 2,400 ha or 0.5% of the total utilised agricultural area. By 2020, the organic farming was extended to 52,078 ha or 10.8% of the total utilised agricultural area. The organic farming area expanded primarily as a consequence of the inclusion of permanent meadows and pastures, while the organic farming on arable land, gardens, and land with permanent crops expanded as well. The share of permanent meadows and pastures in the structure of the agricultural land with organic farming has been decreasing constantly (92% in 2001, 85% in 2010, 82% in 2015 and 80% in 2020), but permanent meadows and pastures continue to be the prevailing form of the organic farming (followed by arable land with 13% and permanent orchards with 6% share in 2020) This is also reflected in the spatial distribution of the organic farming. Most areas with organic farming relative to the total utilised agricultural area are located in areas where extensive grassland prevails (karst areas of the Primorska, Notranjska and Kočevska regions, mountainous and highland parts of the Koroška region), while in the lowland areas, they are located where natural conditions allow for the intensive farming and more diverse production (north-eastern Slovenia, the Novo mesto Basin and the Posavje region, northern part of the Ljubljana Basin). Consequently, the predominant crop from organic permanent grassland is hay (102 thousand tonnes in 2020) (SORS, 2021). According to the set goal of the Rural Development Programme of the Republic of Slovenia to include 55,000 ha of the utilised agricultural area in organic farming by 2023, we estimate that the current trend of converting to organic farming is good. Assuming the average converting to organic farming of the last few years, it is expected that the goal will be reached by the end of 2023.

Organic farming has been spreading in the EU as well. In 2019, the areas under the organic farming (or converting to it) in the EU countries have been carried out in 14.3 million ha, which represents 7.9% of the total utilised agricultural area (3.6% in 2005, 5.1% in 2010, 6.2% in 2015 and 7.9% in 2019). The highest shares of organic farming are in Austria (25.3% in 2019), Estonia (22.3%) and Sweden (20.4%). By the share of organic farming, Slovenia ranks in the upper third of the EU (in 2019 ranked 9th). The highest share of land with organic farming in the EU are in Spain (17.1%, France (16.2%), Italy (14.5%), and Germany (9.4%). These countries combined cultivate more than half of all land with organic farming in the EU. In the structure of the organic farming on the EU level, the most prevalent is organic farming on the arable land (45.8%) and permanent meadows and pastures (42.9%), followed by permanent crops (11.3%).


Other sources and literature

Organic farming statistics (Statistics Explained). 2021. Eurostat.
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/pdfscache/5461.pdf (15. 3. 2021)

Pravilnik o ekološki pridelavi in predelavi kmetijskih pridelkov oziroma živil. 2018. Uradni list RS, št. 72/18, in 17/19 – popr. http://www.pisrs.si/Pis.web/pregledPredpisa?id=PRAV13168 (15. 3. 2021)

SURS. 2021. Pridelava ekoloških rastlinskih pridelkov po pomembnejših skupinah kmetijskih kultur, Slovenija, letno.

https://pxweb.stat.si/SiStatData/pxweb/sl/Data/-/1561905S.px/table/tableViewLayout2/ (15. 3. 2021)


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