Organic farming in France has experienced a boom in recent years as farmers have converted from traditional methods, but sector growth is predicted to slow, said Agence Bio.
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The newly established agency said land devoted to organic production rose last year to 420,000 hectares, up from 370,000ha the previous year. However, the all-important area of land currently undergoing conversion to organic production eased off 2.2% to 136,000ha, which is being interpreted as a sign the overall growth rate is slowing.
The agency explained the apparently waning enthusiasm in the following terms: the early adopters have already been through the conversion process and moved on – the less ready converts, with more traditional notions of agriculture, are still reluctant to change.
2001 saw 1,140 new organic farms go into business in France, well below the agency’s target of between 2,000 and 2,500 new farms. Figures show that 1.5% of France’s overall farmland is currently under organic cultivation, some way behind certain other EU Member States such as Germany, Italy or Denmark.
Agence Bio hopes to see France’s organic farmland grow to account to 3% of overall farmland. Much of the growth last year came in the meat sector, as consumers sought refuge from BSE, foot and mouth disease and other meat safety scares.
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