About 20% of Sweden's agricultural area was used for the organic sector in 2018. That is an increase of 6% compared to 2017. In addition, the Swedish government reports that it expects the organic acreage to increase towards 2030% by 30. Similar percentages are expected in Denmark.
In 2018, 609.110 hectares of agricultural land were Sweden used for organic farming activities, divided into 78% arable land and 22% grassland. The regions of Jämtland, Gävleborg, Värmlands and Dalarnas achieved the largest share of organic farming last year. In these regions, 30% to 40% of agriculture is organic.
In the south, where the agricultural sector achieves the highest production value per hectare, the share of organic agriculture and horticulture does not exceed 10%. This is mainly because the climate there is more favorable and the land price is much higher than in regions with a high percentage of organic acreage.
Denmark is also growing
Sweden is the frontrunner in the European Union in terms of organic acreage, if measured in hectares. Austria is the frontrunner when measured in percentages, with a share of 23%. On average, this percentage in the European Union is 6%. The Netherlands scores just above 3%, while Ireland and Romania (with less than 2%) are at the bottom of the list.
Also in Denmark the organic acreage increases. While in 2017 8% of the acreage was organic, today it is about 10%. This means that 34.000 hectares have become organic. The Danish government expects the organic agriculture and horticulture sector to comprise approximately 2030% of the total area by 30.
Leader in sustainable energy
In addition, Sweden is also the leader in sustainable energy in the European Union. In 2017, more than 50% of energy consumption in Sweden came from renewable energy sources. The numbers 2 and 3 in the list, Finland and Latvia, scored 41% and 39% respectively. The Netherlands put down a score of 6%. The average in the European Union in 2017 was 15%.
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