Growth of Organic Farming in the European Union

The total area of organic farmland in the European Union (EU) continued to grow in 2023, reaching 17.7 million hectares, which accounts for 10.9% of all agricultural land, according to a new study cited by ESMagazine.

Across Europe, 19.5 million hectares were cultivated organically, including 17.7 million hectares in the EU, based on the latest data from FiBL (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture).

Leading Countries in Organic Agriculture

• Spain became the EU leader in organic farmland, surpassing France with 3.0 million hectares.
• France followed closely with 2.8 million hectares, while Italy ranked third with 2.5 million hectares.
• Organic farmland increased by 3.6% in the EU and 4.1% in Europe in 2023.
• The largest expansions were reported in Spain (+0.3 million hectares) and Ukraine (+0.2 million hectares).

Key Findings

• In Europe, organic farmland accounted for 3.9% of total agricultural land, while in the EU, it represented 10.9%.
• Liechtenstein had the highest share of organic farmland worldwide at 44.6%, followed by Austria (27.3%), which also led the EU.
• 16 European countries reported that at least 10% of their agricultural land was organic.

Organic Producers and Processors

• The number of organic producers in Europe reached 495,000, while the EU had 435,000, reflecting annual increases of 1.4% and 1.8%, respectively.
• Organic processors totaled 94,627 in Europe and 89,379 in the EU.
• Italy had the highest number of processors (nearly 25,000), while Germany led in organic importers (around 2,000).

Retail Market Performance

• In 2023, organic retail sales in Europe reached €54.7 billion, including €46.5 billion in the EU.
• Germany remained the largest organic market in Europe, with €16.1 billion in sales.
• Globally, the EU was the second-largest single market for organic products, after the United States, which reported €59.0 billion in sales.
• On average, European consumers spent €66 per capita on organic food.
• Swiss and Danish consumers led organic spending, with €437 and €362 per capita, respectively.
• Consumer spending on organic food doubled between 2014 and 2023.
• Denmark had the highest organic market share globally at 11.8%, followed by Switzerland (11.6%).

These figures highlight the ongoing expansion of organic farming in Europe and the growing consumer demand for sustainable food products.