Spain has been the largest ecological producer in Europe for decades, although it lost that condition in 2020 due to the economic difficulties lived during the pandemic and thanks to the thrust of France. The latest available data – 2023 – presented this Thursday in Madrid, show that Spain exceeds France again. “We are leaders in ecological production in Europe, which is the same as saying worldwide,” said Diego Granado, general secretary of Ecovalia, the employer of the sector, which attributes the impulse to the new aids of the PAC and the descent of the neighboring country. The producers emphasize that this model favors biodiversity, but continues to rely in consumption in Spain. Precisely both countries lived a controversy at the beginning of last year, on account of a strike of the French farmers. The former presidential French presidential Ségolène Royal spurred national production and criticized food from Spain in a television program: “Spanish organic products are false” (…) Have you tried Spanish Bío tomatoes? They cannot be eaten. ”Later, the French government had to uncheck those criticisms, since all producers have to comply with the same rules. The EU approved in 1991 the ecological production regulations, which prohibits using chemicals (such as fertilizers, pesticides or feed) and transgenics in agriculture, while in livestock it limits to the maximum antibiotics, it forces a natural food and establishes a natural feed excludes macrogranjas. that generates emissions), has not improved the use of water (not included in the requirements) and has not transformed the food system, for which more vegetables and seasonal products and kilometer should be eaten. Continent, ahead of France, Germany and Italy. The comparable figures by countries are 2023, but for Spain, those of 2024 are also available, which increase that land to 3.16 million hectares. Meanwhile, the three communities with more surface are Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha and Catalonia, which brings together 75% of the total area in ecological. “In 2023 the new common agrarian policy (PAC) started (on which European subsidies depend to producers), aids to ecological production were convened and this has driven growth, which in some communities has been very remarkable: in Asturias it reaches 52% In Extremadura and Castilla y León, 30% touched in a single exercise, ”said Granado. As for consumption, Spain is still far behind: Swiss spend 468 euros on average per year on this type of products; the Danes, 362; The Austrians, 292, while the Spaniards do not appear in the top 10 positions. “It is true that 12 years ago we were in an expense 26 euros and now we are already in 66, that is, there has been a great climb, but we must notice that France has an expense of 176 when its rent is not the triple of ours,” said the spokesman for Ecovalia. “We have growth margin.” The communities that spend the most are Basque Country, Catalonia and Galicia, and the ones that less, Castilla la-Mancha, Murcia and Asturias. Environment … but only organic products comply with a public regulation and are certified with the EUROHOJA, the food seal most recognizable by consumers. ” (Tagstotranslate) Environment
Spain exceeds France as the European country with more ecological production surface | Climate and Environment
