Several farmers opt in Norway

Production of carrots.Photo: Norway Today Media

The number of farmers engaged in organic farming has raised for first time in five years. So far this year 100 new producers enrolled.

The organic producers have registered with Debio, which certifies and controls organic producers. Meanwhile, 90 have withdrawn, wrote newspaper Nationen. Last year Debio had 76 enrollments and 215 resignations.

In January representatives of the agricultural industry started a project called “Agricultural Organic Awareness”, aiming to increase the production of organic agricultural products.

– We have noticed an increase in demand for both organic planning and restructuring consultancy, says project manager Kjersti Berge of Norwegian Agriculture Consulting, who believes Organic Awareness has contributed to this.

However, despite an increase in the number of organic producers so far this year, Aina Bartmann, project manager for the Organic Awareness and advisor in Oikos believes it is unrealistic to reach Parliament’s goal of 15 percent organic production by 2020. Organic Awareness can motivate and inform, but there are government and the markets that holds the key to that goal being achieved, she said.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today