Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Lithuanian Organic Agriculture in the Context of European Union
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/58352
The main arable crops 2009
Distribution of main agricultural land use
types 2009
Vegetables
103
Oilseeds
153
Protein crops
162
3%
Field fodder crops
1394
Cereals
1740
0
500
1000
1500
2000
40%
Thousands of hectares
46%
The main permanent crops 2009
Citrus fruit
40
11%
Fruit, temperate
71
Nuts
160
Grapes
167
Arable land
Permanent crops
Permanent grassland
Other
Olives
366
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Thousands of hectares
Figure 15.
Use of organic agricultural land in Europe 2009 [16]; Source: FiBL Survey 2011; www.fibl.org)
The three main crop types grown organically are arable land crops (mainly cereals, fresh
vegetables, green fodder and industrial crops), permanent crops (mainly fruit trees and
berries, olive groves and vineyards) and pastures and meadow land [19]. In most of the
Member States and Norway, permanent crops account for a relatively insignificant share
of the fully converted area of these three main types (less than 5%). In 2008, permanent
crops accounted for between 10% and 20% in Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Poland and
Portugal, while in Spain and Italy the share was over 20%. Cyprus and Malta were in the
lead with 41% and 80% respectively. Olive trees predominated in both countries. In 11
countries (including Norway) arable land crops accounted for the largest share of the land
area (> 50%), while in 15 countries pastures and meadows predominated (>50%). Arable
crops were significant in Finland and Norway with shares of 98% and 80% respectively
(75% in Lithuania), while the Czech Republic (92%), Ireland (96%) and Slovenia (89%) were
in the lead in terms of pastures and meadows (Figure 16) [19].
The most common crops in Lithuanian organic agriculture are cereals and in farms with animal
husbandry-perennial grasses. In organic farms without animal husbandry perennial grasses
as a matter of routine are absent as in this case the subsides for the perennial grasses are not
