Organic farming in regions, State cities and municipalities

Statistics for organic farming is used to evaluate, control, and support organic farming sector. Key indicators: share of utilised organic area, number of organic operators, organic crop areas, harvested production and average yield, number and output of organic livestock and poultry.

Organic operator

All organic operators

Laws  

Law on Agriculture and Rural Development

Regulations of the Cabinet

1. Regulation of the Cabinet No 485 “Procedure for the Supervision and Control of Organic Farming” of 26 May 2009,
2. Regulation of the Cabinet No 251 “Regulation on the State Fee in the Field of Organic Farming” of 16 March 2010 (available in Latvian only).  

EU regulatory enactments

1. Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 of 28 June 2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products,
2. Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 of 5 September 2008 laying down detailed rules on organic production and labelling of organic products with regard to organic production, labelling and control,
3. Commission Regulation (EC) No 1235/2008 of 8 December 2008 laying down detailed rules for implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 as regards the arrangements for imports of organic products from third countries.

Statistics database

Eurostat (Statistical office of the European Union) is publishing Europe-wide statistics and indicators that enable comparisons between countries and regions on its website. See section Organic farming.

Statistics for organic farming is available since 2006. 

Selected indicators are available since 2001 and 2003.

In Latvia, organic farming is part of agricultural sector, i.e., organic land is part of total agricultural area and organic production is a part of total agricultural output (of both crop and livestock products).

Organic Farming Statistics Information system of the Agricultural Data Centre.

Operators under the organic farming system submit forms attached in the Annex 2.1 to the Regulation of the Cabinet No 485 “Procedure for the Supervision and Control of Organic Farming” of 26 May 2009.

 Every year by 1 February operators submit information on the area subject to organic farming control, crops cultivated, plant and animal products produced, type and volume of products produced, processed and used over the previous year as well as information on the balance of the produced products on December 31 of the previous year to the control body where it has submitted an application for its inclusion in the organic farming control system.

Forms to be submitted are available:

1. In Annex 2.1 to the Regulation of the Cabinet No 485 “Procedure for the Supervision and Control of Organic Farming” of 26 May 2009,
2. On websites of the control and certifying bodies:

• Certification institution “Environmental Quality” of the association “Environmental Quality” – organic farming certification: http://www.videskvalitate.lv/index.php?sad=2 
• Organic Farming Sector of the Conformity Assessment Division of the State limited liability company “Certifying and Testing Centre”. Section Organic Farming report: https://stc.lv/en/parskats-par-biologisko-lauksaimniecibu/  

Every year by 30 April control body based on the data format set by the Agricultural Data Centre electronically sends the information included in the reports submitted by operators for their registration in Organic Farming Statistics Information System of the Agricultural Data Centre.

Control (certification) body – state administrative body of a Member State to which the Ministry of Agriculture has fully or partially entrusted its authority to carry out control and certification in organic production sector in accordance with the provisions set out in the regulation; where appropriate, it is also the relevant authority in the third country or the relevant authority operating in the third country.  

In Latvia, functions of the control body are performed by two organisations:

• certification institution “Environmental Quality”,
• Organic Farming Sector of the Conformity Assessment Division of the State limited liability company “Certifying and Testing Centre”.  

Agricultural Data Centre maintains Organic Farming Statistical Information System, incl. organic farming statistics classification:

1. Every year until 1 June produces summary of the data entered by the control bodies and information on number of organic livestock.
2. Every year until 15 June prepares and sends summary of the situation in organic farming sector on 1 January of the respective year to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Ministry of Agriculture:

1. Monitors organic farming statistical system.
2. Every year until 1 July prepares data by entering in specific reporting forms and sends the information to the European Commission. The data are transmitted in MS Excel format via eDAMIS.
3. Summarises organic farming information and publishes it on the official statistics portal, as well as draws up a presentation containing latest information and report on trends in various fields taking place over various periods.