Organic land area up by one-third

BELGRADE - Serbia's area under organic farming totaled 8,228 hectares in 2013, which is an increase of 32 percent compared to the year before, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) data indicate.

The data is based on the number of certified organic products and products in the process of organic certification, while due to a lack of official methodology the areas used for gathering wild berries, mushrooms and medicinal plants are not included in the report.

The land area in conversion for organic farming reached around 5,041 ha while the area granted the organic status totaled about 3,187 ha.

According to the preliminary data of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, there are 218 organic farmers and growers (not including cooperative farmers whose numbers will be known after the official results are released) and 19 foragers of organic produce from the wild.

Five farmers are engaged in organic seed production, whille 55 process, 51 export and 27 import organic foods and products.

Field crops account for 80 percent of Serbia's organic land, including meadows and pastures, the fruit production area takes
up 38 percent, while vegetables are grown on just two percent of the organic land.

A total of 65 percent of organic farmers are engaged in livestock production, 17 percent keep honey bees, 12 percent keep poultry, while 6 percent have organic carp farms.