SPATIAL EVOLUTION OF ORGANIC FARMLAND IN POLAND

Abstract

The main aim of the study was to determine changes in the concentration degree of organic farmland at the regional level in Poland. Spatial aspects were considered using absolute shares determining the interregional distribution of the analysed features and the location quotient (LQ) measuring the degree of regional specialization against the national background. The study utilized secondary source material from the Inspection of Commercial Quality of Agricultural and Food Products and Statistics Poland. It was found that the area of organic farmland undergoes continuous evolution, both at the national and regional levels. Considering the size of organic farmland, it was noted that there was a systematic increase from 2004 to 2013, followed by a decrease until 2018. Similar trends, although with varying intensities, were observed at the regional level. The leaders in terms of organic farmland area in both 2014 and 2021 were Zachodniopomorskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeships. In analyses concerning the area of farmland allocated for selected organic crops, these voivodeships dominated in all types except for orchard and berry crops, which were most prevalent in Mazowieckie, Lubelskie, and Podkarpackie voivodeships. Based on the calculation using the location quotient, it was found that the highest spatial concentration of organic farmland was in the Lubuskie, Podlaskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, and Zachodniopomorskie voivodeships, and no significant changes occurred in this regard from 2014 to 2020.