Portugal: organic farming is growing

<div style="text-align: justify;">Organic farming grows in
Portugal: at the end of 2011, there were 2,434 organic farms cultivating 210,981 hectares,
corresponding to 6 percent of the total agricultural land. Growth has been triggered by the
introduction and direct application of EU regulations and financial support after 1993, and today
area-based support for organic farming is maintained under the Rural Development Programme
2007-2013. <br>However, the organic support scheme has been closed to new entrants since the
beginning of 2011 and, although rapid growth is expected, the market share for organic produce is
still small (0.2 percent of the total food market in 2010). <br>In order to sustain the future
growth of organic agriculture, a national organic action plan is currently being developed by the
organic farming community. <br></div><br>Further information: <a href="http://www.organic-world.net/country-info-portugal-report.html">Country report
Portugal</a><br><br>Source: Catarina Crisostomo, Organic-World.net<br>