Ecological farming in Lithuania

Abstract

The article analyses distribution of ecological farms in Lithuania and their specialization. Ecological farming in Lithuania has been practiced since 1993, when only nine ecological farms were certified. At present ecological farming is becoming more and more popular, the number of such farms is increasing every year, which is influenced by financial EU and state support for the development of ecological agriculture. In 2003 were certified 700 ecological farms, while in 009 – almost four times more than in 2003 (2733 ecological farms). However, ecological farms comprise only 2.6 percent from the total number of registered farms. Ecological farming is practiced mostly on an area of up to 30 ha of agricultural land. Such farms in 2007 made up 65 percent of all certified ecological farms. Most farms practice mixed production, although prevails growing of crops, the least is the number of farms engaged in ecological livestock and herb production. Having calculated specialization coefficient, it was found that from 2005 to 2008 ecological farms were averagely specialized, as coefficients in the studied period range between 0.35 and 0.48. Among ecological crops in Lithuania dominate grains and legumes.