 Acreage managed organically in 2008 in the world totaled 35 million hectares (nearly 86.5 million acres) farmed by almost 1.4 million producers, according to data from The World of Organic Agriculture 2010 released in mid-February at BioFach.
Organic agricultural land area increased in all regions, and was up nearly three million hectares, or nine percent, compared to 2007 data. Of the total area managed organically, 22 million hectares were grassland. In addition, 8.2 million hectares were used for cropland.
The regions with the largest area of organically managed land are Oceania (12.1 million hectares in Australia, New Zealand, and surrounding island states), Europe (8.2 million hectares), and Latin America (8.1 million hectares), according to statistics in a chapter by Dr. Helga Willer.
Two-thirds of the world’s organically managed land is in developed nations, with the remainder in developing countries. Australia, Argentina and China, she noted, are the countries with the most land farmed organically. Leading regions in the developing world include Latin America, Asia and Africa. Meanwhile, more than one third of organic producers are in Africa.
The report also recorded 31 million hectares that are organic wild collection areas and land for bee keeping. The majority of this land is in developing countries.
Meanwhile, according to Organic Monitor estimates, global organic sales reached $50.9 billion in 2008, double the $25 billion recorded in 2003. The report is available for purchase from www.ifoam.org and www.fibl.org. |
