Organic farming in Poland and activities undertaken for its development

Abstract

Polish organic farming is undergoing significant transformations. In 2014, the number of ecological farms and utilised agricultural area (UAA) stopped growing, and this trend has persisted since then. It is contrary to the trend expected under the Common Agricultural Policy, which assumes that by 2030, organic farming methods will be used in 25% of UAA. The aim of the study is to assess the production and economic situation of organic farms, taking into account the role the agricultural policy of the European Union plays in this context. The study sample consisted of organic farms registered in the database of the Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection and the Polish FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network). The research period covered the years 2005, 2013 and 2018, which in some cases, to show a wider context, was expanded to the years 2019, 2020, 2004 and 2006–2012. The data was analysed in the dynamic view, taking into account the distribution of farms and UAA in voivodships, changes in the structure of crops and in the number of livestock, and the volume of production of crops and animal products at the national level. The analysis of the above data demonstrated that the reasons behind abandoning organic farming are of an economic nature, including production scattering that makes sales difficult, farm sizes too small (which results in difficulty in organising production according to the ecological principles), heavey administrative burdens, no significant support for organic animal production, and low production profitability and low income of organic farms. However, despite the fact that the UAA under organic farming shrank in 2013–2018 by approximately a quarter, the acreage of cereals, other field crops and vegetables increased, and consequently the production of these types of agricultural crops increased significantly. The development of the organic farming sector is conditional upon financial support and rational agricultural policy that offers suport to farmers, at the same time watching over the implementation of the environmental recommendations.