Germany: Increase in organic area and operators in 2009

According to the ministry, 947'115 hectares of organic agricultural land were under organic management in 2009. Germany therefore holds third place in Europe after Spain and Italy for agricultural land under organic management.There were 21'047organic farms constituting 5.6 percent of all farms in the country. 

In total, 31'295 enterprises (producers, processors, importers, and traders) were active in the organic sector in 2009. 

Compared with 2008, the following growth rates were achieved: 

• Organic agricultural land: + 4.3 percent
• Organic producers:+ 6.2 percent
• Organic processors: +5.7
• Importers: +15.8 percent
• Processors/importerrs: +7.7 percent
• Traders: +21 percent

More information

• BMVEL.de: Ökologischer Landbau im Jahr 2009 weiter gewachsen. Press release of July 5, 2010 at the homepage of the German ministry of agriculture
• BOELW.de: Öko-Landbau wächst stabil weiter. Regionale Unterschiede belegen die Bedeutung der Politik . Press release of the Federation of the German Organic Food Industry BOELW of July 6, 2010
• Organic-World.net: Germany