Agriculture in Lithuania - Current Operations

Current Operations

As of 2004, the agricultural sector in Lithuania employed about 227,000 persons; contributed about 6% of its GDP; and occupied about 35,000 km2, of which about 9,000 km2 were abandoned. In 2001 the principal crops were potatoes, 1,054,000 tons; barley, 776,200 tons; wheat, 1,076,300 tons; rye, 231,100 tons; legumes, 52,200 tons, and rapeseed, 64,800 tons. About 46% of its land area was devoted to crops and pastures.

Lithuania's accession to the European Union in 2004 ushered in a new agricultural era. The EU pursues a very high standard of food safety and purity. In 1999, the Seimas (parliament) of Lithuania adopted a Law on Product Safety, and in 2000 it adopted a Law on Food. The reform of the agricultural market has been carried out on the basis of these two laws.

According to a 2006 USDA report, organic farming in Lithuania is expanding rapidly and could account for up to 15 percent of farm area by 2015. In 2005 there were about 1,807 farms certified as organic in Lithuania, with an average size of 0.39 km2. In 2004 organic certified land area covered 430 km2 of farmed area and by 2005 organic farm area had increased to 703.89 km2, or about 1.5 percent of total farm area.

The average Lithuanian organic farm size, 0.39 km2, is about four times the size of the average conventional farm. The largest organic farm is 7 km2. Grass and leguminous crops accounted for 61% of total organic farming in 2005, followed by perennial grasses at 26%. The most significant increase in organic farming has been in berry production. Financial support for organic farming is offered by the EU.