Organic fruit production in Denmark

Abstract

Organic agriculture covers app. 6% of the Danish agricultural land. There are app. 200 fruit- and berry growers, totally they grow app. 350 ha, which are 5 percent of the total Danish area grown with fruit and berries. Converting to organic agriculture are national subsidised. At the moment the yearly subsidy is 291 GBP to 49 GBP pr. ha depending on the type of farm. Pear and especially apple production are huge challenges to the Danish growers, as the humid climate favours apple scab and other diseases. It has not been a profitable production up till now. To control scab infections some growers use sulphur. In Denmark it has been forbidden to use copper since 1995. Organic strawberry production is profitable in Denmark. The main variety is ‘Honeoye’, which is quite resistant to diseases. If total conversion of the Danish fruit and berry productions happened in 1998 the apple yield would have decreased with 86 percent. Black currant and pear yield would be reduced with more than 50 percent. Strawberries would keep the highest yield compared to conventional production. There are many ongoing organic trails in apples, some in black currants and a few in prunus and strawberries