Land in conversion to organic in the UK with Soil Association Certification has doubled in the last year, figures show.
New data relating to land certified to Soil Association standards indicates that organic farmland is on the rise.
It continues to see entrants to organic, particularly in horticulture and livestock, including some larger farms and estates in Scotland.
However, figures by the UK government for organic farmland in 2024 are yet to be published.
Official figures for 2023 showed that the percentage of organic land share had remained largely static, at around 3% in England for the last decade.
But Soil Association Certification’s Organic Market Report, released today (26 February), shows 'huge opportunities' for farmers.
The annual report has also revealed another year of growth in the UK’s organic market.
The sector has bounced back from the cost-of-living crisis, with growth exceeding non-organic, rising 7.3% to reach £3.7bn in 2024.
Soil Association organic farming advisor, Adrian Steele said: "The government and shoppers are investing in this nature-friendly system of farming.
"But currently, farmers are missing out as the growing demand for organic is largely being met by imports.
“There are tremendous opportunities to meet demand for organic pulses and grains, for both human consumption and animal feed.
In 2023, government figures showed that 498,000 hectares were farmed organically in the UK, down 2.1% compared to 2022.
This falls behind the average of 10% organic farmland across the EU, with countries like Austria topping 25%.
In 2023, 60% of UK organic land was in England, 23% in Scotland, 15% in Wales and 1.4% in Northern Ireland.
Scotland bucked the trend with organic land increasing 11.8% in 2023, boosted by the Scottish government’s commitment to doubling the amount.
