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) and the number of agricultural holdings 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, the level of support for organic farming and comparison of the extent of the organic farming in Slovenia with the other EU Member countries.

Organic production is an overall system of farm management and food production that combines best environmental and climate action practices, a high level of biodiversity, the preservation of natural resources and the application of high animal welfare standards and high production standards in line with the demand of a growing number of consumers for products produced using natural substances and processes (Regulation EU 2018/848). 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. Organic farming is regulated by decree on the organic production and processing of agricultural products and food (Ur. l. RS, št. 105/22).

Financial incentives for organic farming are implemented in Slovenia as part of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy. Organic farming started to spread in Slovenia in the late 1990s and the first support for organic farming was made available to farmers in 1999. In 2001, organic farming support was included in the Slovenian agri-environmental programme, which became part of the Rural Development Programme of the Republic of Slovenia after accession to the EU. From 2023 onwards, farmers are eligible for payments through the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy. 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 2023, the organic farming was extended to 54,602 ha or 11.1% of the total utilised agricultural area, or 5,7% of all agricultural holdings (3,864 agricultural holdings). 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, 80% in 2020 and 78% in 2023), but permanent meadows and pastures continue to be the prevailing form of the organic farming (followed by arable land with 15% and permanent orchards with 7% share in 2023) 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 (147 thousand tonnes in 2023) (SORS, 2024).

One in three olive groves (27% of all olive groves), one in five orchards (20% of all orchards) and 16% of all permanent meadows are organic. Organic farming is less widespread in arable land and gardens and vineyards. Support for organic farming, which is highest for vegetables, vineyards, olive groves, orchards and arable crops, encourages an increase in the amount of agricultural land devoted to marketable crop production.

The Rural Development Programme of the Republic of Slovenia target to include 55,000 ha of the utilised agricultural area in organic farming by 2023 has been reached by 99% (54,602 ha under organic farming in 2023).

Organic farming has been spreading in the EU as well. In 2022, the areas under the organic farming (or converting to it) in the EU countries have been carried out in 16.9 million ha, which represents 11% of the total utilised agricultural area (4% in 2005, 5% in 2010, 6% in 2015 and 9% in 2020). The highest shares of organic farming are in Austria (27%), Estonia (23%) and Sweden (20%). By the share of organic farming, Slovenia ranks in the upper third of the EU (in 2022 ranked 12^th). The highest share of land with organic farming in the EU are in France (17%), Spain (16%), Italy (14%), and Germany (10%). These countries combined cultivate almost 60% 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 (46%) and permanent meadows and pastures (43%), followed by permanent crops (11%) (2019 data). The average size of agricultural holding in 2020 at EU level is 40 ha, while in Slovenia is 14 ha (24^th place of EU countries).