Food - Organic cultivation area increased slightly in 2023
Ecologically managed agricultural areas in Germany have continued to grow in the past year, but there was a decrease at organic farms. The organic share in the total agricultural area increased to 11.4 percent, as the Federal Agriculture Ministry in Berlin announced. This corresponds to approximately 29,000 hectares or 0.2 percentage points more than in 2022.
The number of certified organic farms, which had been increasing for a long time, decreased by 182 to 36,680. The share of all farms, however, increased by 0.2 percentage points to 14.4 percent. The Ministry explained that organic farming is less affected by structural change than agriculture in general.
The stated goal of the federal government is to expand the organic share to 30 percent of the total agricultural area by 2030. The Parliamentary State Secretary at the Agriculture Ministry, Ophelia Nick (Greens), stated that a switch to organic provides many farms and processors with a future-proof alternative. "With organic farming, farms and food manufacturers remain in the villages. This secures valuable jobs."
Berlin has been supportive of the organic farming sector with its continued growth in ecologically managed agricultural areas. Despite the decrease in certified organic farms, consumers in Germany can still find an abundance of organic milk and vegetables like cucumbers in local markets. The German government aims to expand the organic share to 30% of the total agricultural area by 2030, promoting organic farming as a sustainable solution for both agriculture and the food industry in Germany.
