Despite crisis, cautious optimism for organic farming
Sometimes it?s better to allow the first flurry of enthusiasm to die down, wait for any problems to emerge and then see what solutions are found in order to truly assess the dynamic of a given field of activity.
When it comes to organic farming in Greece, the time is now ripe for that assessment, as funding for that sector ends at the end of this year, making it possible to see first whether organic farmers are intent on their purpose and not just chasing European Union funds and, second, whether the sector can survive without subsidies.
More and more farmers are opting to go organic and new hands are entering the profession at the same time as authorities are preparing a list of organic farmers who dropped out of the sector once the subsidies began to dry up. In fact, organic farming is one of the few areas of the economy that is growing in leaps and bounds right now.
Iris, an organization in charge of quality control and certification of organic produce, reports that 2007 was the best year for the sector as the number of farmers to sign up with the organization increased by 50 percent.
According to Maria Hatzidakis, Iris?s communications adviser, ?the upward trend continued in 2008, when the crisis first began to be felt, but at a slower pace. In 2008 the rate of increase was 12 percent, in 2009 new entries dropped by 10 percent, and in 2010, they shot up by 35 percent.? Hatzidakis says one reason the organic market has become so attractive to farmers is that primary production in Greece is notorious for its fickle payment system and distribution problems. ?Farmers sell their produce and may not see the money for months. Faced with this kind of obstacle, many turn to organic farming [as a more specialized market]. Producers observe the trends of demand in the market and realize that it is in their best interest to opt for quality rather than quantity. What has impressed me is their determination. In garden produce especially, we have seen an explosion in numbers.?
Another organization that has seen increased activity is QWAYS, also responsible for quality control and certification of organic produce.
?Last year we saw a 25 percent rise in the number of new entries into the market,? said managing director Panagiotis Panagopoulos. ?We are expecting a similar if not greater rise this year. In 2012, subsidies will end. That means we will see hundreds of organic farmers go, but the industry is not expected to suffer as a result. The sector is in a phase of maturity, and, given its extrovertedness as many businesses are exporting, and also the fact that a number of supermarkets are now displaying more and more organic produce, there is a large pie and everyone wants a slice of it.?
Vegetables, meat and dairy products are seeing sales volumes increasing, according to Panagopoulos.
At the same time, both organizations have also seen a trend of newcomers looking for new opportunities, as well as graduates and professionals from other fields who want to change their lives and prospects, entering the sector.
?We are constantly registering young farmers who have grown up the city and have decided, because of the economic crisis, to move to the country and start afresh,? said Panagopoulos.
?We get a lot of people who have never had any connection to the land but are seeking a different way of life coming to us for advice,? added Hatzidakis. ?But it?s true that those getting into organic farming today have a lot more awareness than their predecessors.?
It is not all plain sailing, however, despite the fact that hundreds of new arrivals in the sector have brought the total expanse of organic farms in Greece up to 170,000 hectares. Even though supermarkets have finally embraced organic produce, specialized organic stores have been dealt a major blow by the crisis and many have been forced to shut down. From a total of 200 stores, 50 closed down in 2010 and another 30 are expected to be gone by the end of this year. Meanwhile, 50 percent of the retail market for organic food is controlled by two supermarket chains.
