Development of organic agriculture in selected countries of the European Union

Abstract

The aim of the article was to assess the state and trends in the development of organic agriculture in selected European Union countries. The study presented and compared organic farming in 10 EU countries with the largest area of organic crops. The research shows that the largest area of organic crops was found in large agricultural countries of the EU, including i.e. France, Spain, and Italy, where there were the most organic farms. The only country that in 2020 exceeded the level of 25% of the share of ecological areas in the total area of the country recommended by the European Green Deal was Austria. The niche nature of organic production was related to, among others, relatively low production profitability and low demand for organic food. In such a situation, it is worth recommending activities supporting organic farming, including ecological payments and other pro-ecological solutions.