Greece Has Higher Share of Organic Farmland Than EU Average

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Organic farming now accounts for around 11% of agricultural land across the European Union, while Greece has reached 17.2%, according to European Commission data.

The EU has set a target of having at least 25% of its agricultural land under organic farming by 2030, alongside a significant increase in organic aquaculture. September 23 marks EU Organic Day and provides an annual reference point for progress towards that target.

The EU currently has around 17 million hectares of organically managed agricultural land. Retail sales of organic products have exceeded €45 billion, more than doubling over the past decade despite a temporary slowdown in some countries during periods of intense inflationary pressure.

The EU Action Plan for Organic Production focuses on three areas: strengthening consumer demand and trust, increasing production and strengthening the value chain, and improving the environmental sustainability of organic farming.

The plan also emphasises local production and consumption chains and short distribution channels, with the aim of keeping a greater share of added value with farmers and within local economies.

Greece above the EU average

Comparable data from 2022 showed that 17.2% of Greece’s utilised agricultural area was under organic management, compared with around 11% across the EU. Based on those figures, Greece ranked sixth among EU member states for the share of agricultural land under organic farming.

Speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, Secretary General for Agricultural Development and Food Spyros Protopsaltis said organic production had become an important part of the European and Greek agri-food sector.

“Greece starts from a strong base, with a share of organic farmland significantly higher than the European average,” Protopsaltis said. He added that the challenge was to connect this production base more closely with the market, product added value and farmers’ incomes, while protecting the sector from unfair practices and safeguarding the credibility of organic products.

Protopsaltis said expanding organic farming involved more than increasing the amount of land under organic management. He highlighted consumer confidence, effective inspections, certification, traceability and supply chains that allow farmers to reach markets on better terms.

“Production and demand must develop together,” he said.

Organic Farmers’ Markets

Organic Farmers’ Markets operate through self-managed organisations of organic producers, which oversee their operation, supervision, management and promotion. The model allows organic farmers to sell their certified products directly to consumers without intermediaries.

In Attica, Organic Farmers’ Markets operate in 25 municipalities and include more than 250 organic farmers from across Greece.

Six Organic Farmers’ Markets operate in the Thessaloniki regional unit, in Pylaia, Thermi, Peraia, Votsi, Neapoli and Kodra Camp, with around 80 participating producers.

The farmers themselves organise these markets, which have operated in Thessaloniki since the early 2000s. The first organised organic market in northern Greece opened in Kalamaria, while the Union of Organic Farmers of Northern Greece later helped develop markets in Kodra, Neapoli, Peraia and Votsi.

Greek self-managed organic farmers’ market organisations are also in contact with counterparts in other European countries, including Italy, to exchange expertise and explore opportunities to develop similar markets.

“Organic Farmers’ Markets provide a very interesting Greek example of how a short supply chain can work in practice,” Protopsaltis said. He noted that farmers could deal directly with consumers, give their products a clear identity and gain a more stable distribution channel for local produce.

The EU Action Plan also supports food-chain organisation, local and small-scale processing, and short marketing chains.

“The European target for 2030 is ambitious and requires work across the entire chain,” Protopsaltis said.

“For Greece, the challenge is to use our comparative advantages, strengthen the credibility and added value of organic production, and create more opportunities for quality Greek products to reach consumers in Greece and abroad,” he added.

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