Spain, leader in production of crops in EU bio, exports 80% of the production

Over the past year, the organic farming area recorded a 'push' 21,64%. In other words, were cultivated 1.60 million hectares of bio products, compared to the INE million hectares devoted to this activity in the year 2008. This growth, according to the Minister of environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, was not limited to the area of cultivation. Increases in the number of linked to sector operators, were also observed to move from 23.473 during 2008 to a 27.627 over the past year (17.70%). This was confirmed by the holder of the Marm in the middle of the month of may, when released these data provided by the competent authorities of the various autonomous communities. A few figures that show the good time that crosses this segment compared with other campaigns whose cultivation has been eroded by the increase in production costs and the abandonment of the plantations. The interest by the bio also reached, full, organic farming. Thus, the year 2009, it was a period of boom, in which the number of farms was 4.548, 19.28% more.

The diversity of climates, cultures, agricultural areas, systems of production of the country has facilitated that organic production is present in all the autonomous communities, adapting to the conditions of each one of them. Back to the data of the year 2009, provided by the Marm, it follows that the area of cultivation increased, in particular, and in absolute values, in Castile-la Mancha. Altogether, the manchega area inscribed as ecological amounted to 246.076 hectares, representing a growth of 105,63% over the year 2008. However, Andalucía continues the Palm as registered surface. At the end of last year, the Andalusian community had a total of 866.799 hectares, which led to an increase of 10.55%, compared with the previous year.

Other autonomous communities are not left behind were: Extremadura with 115.018 hectares, which was 34,04% and Catalonia with 71.734 hectares (15,09% more). At the opposite pole, stood Aragon which experienced a slight setback on the year 2008, with 66.730 hectares of organic production. Below, were Murcia with 60.742 hectares and a growth of the order of the 61.55% and the Valencian Community which has 38.754 hectares of crop (7.30%). This enthusiasm was infected even uniprovinciales or small communities which have also increased ecological surface. Currently, the Basque country has 1.848 hectares; Madrid 6.043; 5.796 Cantabria and Asturias, the most notable case, intended 14.019 hectares, over double the area registered in only two years.

Forests, pastures and meadows, representing a total of 1.03 million hectares, stand out in Spanish organic production guidelines. In particular, there were increases of 21,51% for what has been considered the basis of ecological animal husbandry. 571.981 Acres of ecological agricultural area, 21,78% more compared to the previous campaign were also cultivated. By type of culture highlighted the 183. 458 acres which was allocated to cereals, 10% of the registered total area and olives with 127.040 hectares, or 7.93%. Then there were nuts in 87.335 hectares and vineyards in 53.958 hectares, with increases from 24,65% and % 74,87, respectively. Other small productions on surface, but of interest because of its economic impact were fruit trees and citrus fruits, vegetables, tubers, and dried beans.

In what refers to the number of operators, it should be also noted 17.70% growth until the 27.627 divided into various categories. On the one hand, the 25.291 primary producers; on the other hand, 2465 processors and eventually a total of 93 importers. Also, be quantified 714 operators as marketers 'not importing', basically wholesalers and intermediaries. In this computation, those operators who made more than one activity, according to the processing of data carried out by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) are not repeated. The overall increase in the country, was 13.70% in the case of processors and 18.79% with regard to producers. Depending on the geographical location, the greater number of operators is located in Andalusia, with a total of 8.444 agents, 3.93 per cent more for the financial year 2008. They were placed below, Castilla - La Mancha (4.896), Extremadura (3.743) and Murcia (2,393). Below, included other regions such as the Valencian (1.533) and the Catalan (1. 431operadores). On the contrary, communities with fewer operators were Cantabria and the Basque country with 161 and 244 each. Both, however, they experienced significant advances in the order of a 11,81 and 2.95%, respectively.

Forests, pastures and meadows are as productive agriculture bio sites and are the basis for ecological farming. In the image, a Sevillan landscape. Photo: Sara Connor.

Organic livestock could not be less. During the year 2009, there were a total of 4.548 livestock farms, 19.28% more than in the previous season. It therefore stood out the 2.106 beef that 2.023 were meat and milk 83. Both included among 124.026, 3.978 heads, each one. Below, were those of sheep, with 1,168 holdings of meat and milk 40; and the goats, 355 farms of meat and milk 42. There were also 145 farms pigs and poultry, distributed as follows: 46 meat and eggs 137. In addition, also registered 190 beekeeping establishments. For the first time, there were 309 holdings of equidae record and three of aquaculture.

In general, the total number of processing and producing organic products industries related to plant production, was 2475 enterprises in 2009. Depending on the category, handling and packaging of fresh fruit and vegetable products (2.475) industries led this ranking, followed by the wineries and bottling of wines, mills and oil (408) envasadoras, bread and pasta, (233), canned food and juice (168) and handling and packaging of dried fruit (100), among others. According to the autonomous community, Catalonia, Andalusia with 518 companies with 502, followed by Valencia with 349 establishments, they were at the forefront in ecological industrial fabric. For its part, companies involved in animal production bio reached the total of 567, mainly slaughterhouses and rooms of cutting (124), milk, cheese and milk derivatives (109) and, finally, 107 envasadoras of honey. In smaller numbers, include 50 industries of meat salted meats and sausages, the packaging of fresh meat, the 47 handling and packaging of fresh eggs and also 47 feed factories. In this case, Spain heads the list of industries for the animal production, with 144 establishments and an increase of 105,71%, doubling the number in the year 2008. Catalonia were then placed with 139 factories whose rise was also remarkable, 43,30%. As a novelty, we included 10 ecological industries in development and conservation of fish, crustaceans and molluscs.