Farmers are concerned by the statistics on organic farms – the area under cultivation is increasing, but not the yield

The area of organic farms in Lithuania is growing rapidly, but the volume of produce they generate is not, according to farmers and some politicians. 

“The area has increased, but production hasn’t really. We’re continuing to move towards making agriculture more organic, thinking that this creates added value. But what it actually creates is additional land“ – said MP Viktoras Pranckietis at a meeting of the Seimas Committee on Rural Affairs this week.

Representatives of the sector do not rule out that the increase in organically farmed land is temporary, as some cereal farmers have switched to this method of farming due to the rising cost of fertilisers. The increase is also linked to the ambitions of young farmers to receive payments for growing vegetables.

According to this year’s agricultural crop declaration data, organic farms in Lithuania (including those in transition to organic farming) declared around 325,800 hectares of arable land – 18 per cent more than in the 2025 declaration. The area declared by farms transitioning to organic farming increased by a factor of 1.5.

“There has been a very significant increase in the area. Investment support schemes offered additional points for organic production. A great many young farmers, wishing to receive support but facing very high competition, committed to growing vegetables organically. And so, whilst they are currently in the transition period, in two years’ time those areas will be organic; and if, by then, there is no system in place for the cooperative processing and transport of that produce, it may be that those farms will find it difficult to fulfil their commitments“,” said Brigita Mosiejauskė, Chair of the Association of Organic Farms, at the meeting.

She emphasised that in Lithuania, financial support is provided only for the conversion of land to organic farming, but not for production or the processing of the harvest, “which entails higher costs.”

The representative of organic farms also highlighted that farmers face additional bureaucratic requirements. Furthermore, according to B. Mosiejauskė, although the state is trying to encourage the consumption of organic produce, due to the ‘lowest price’ principle, organic farms cannot compete with suppliers of conventionally grown produce in public procurement.

As a result, farms often simply export their produce, she emphasised.

„We are looking for schemes to enable farms producing organic produce to process it in small quantities without having to go through (...) all the administrative procedures, which cost a great deal of time and money. And farmers are sometimes reluctant to go through them, so they choose the easiest route – to export their produce“,” said B. Mosiejauskė.

For her part, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Genovaitė Beniulienė said that the ministry would look for ways to promote the growth of organic production rather than the expansion of farmland.

“I cannot announce any final decisions yet, but I very much hope that we will have them in the near future. We are discussing how we can focus specifically on supporting production without breaching European regulations or the provisions of the strategic plan,“ Ms Beniulienė told the Seimas committee.

“I would very much like us not only to support the land itself, but for that support to create value for both consumers and society. And that we would actually have genuine organic produce,” she added.

According to the Deputy Minister, once additional funds have been found in the state budget, the National Paying Agency will begin making advance payments for organic farming from next week.

According to this year’s declaration data, the declared area of certified fruit, berries, vegetables, medicinal herbs and aromatic plants increased by 34 per cent, whilst the area of organic and in-conversion cereals increased by 19 per cent. A further 14 per cent increase was seen in the areas used for growing cereals and perennial grasses for seed.