Organic food is produced using particular farming and manufacturing methods, from the growing phase through to the processing stage. No synthetic chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers are used, and the food does not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In addition, organic livestock has to be raised according to organic regulations throughout their lives. Other regulations vary from country to country. Looking at the
, Europe accounted for just over 40 percent in 2023. The Scandinavian countries in northern Europe are among the most developed organic food markets, with Denmark and Sweden in the lead.
How is the organic food market developing in Denmark?
Since 2016, the
agricultural land area used by organic farms in Denmark overall increased and amounted to approximately 295,000 hectares in 2024. That year, the
land area used for organic seed production for industrial use reached more than 3,800 hectares. Compared to that, the land area used for organic production of seeds for sowing was slightly lower. Overall, the
number of organic livestock grew in line with the number of organic farms, but in contrast to the
production volume of organic milk, which decreased since 2019. When looking at the
sales of organic food in retail shops, steady growth is also evident here. In 2024, annual sales of organic food in Danish retail stores amounted to nearly 16 billion Danish kroner.
Which products play a major role in the Swedish organic food market?
The share of
organic fish in the total food and non-alcoholic beverages revenue in the retail trade sector in Sweden amounted to around 16 percent. Organic fish thus had the highest share on the total revenue, ahead of products such as fruit, coffee and tea, and oils. The
production volume of organic milk also showed increasing demand for a long time. However, in recent years, this has declined significantly. In 2024, it was lower than in 2010, amounting to just over 102,000 metric tons. The same applies to the
production volume of organic eggs - since 2020, it has gradually decreased and reached 18.7 million metric tons in 2023.
Organic livestock and organic meat production in Norway
In the past decade, the total
number of organic cattle in Norway has fluctuated between 27,000 and 30,000 cattle. For
organic cattle slaughtered, the volume rose steadily until it fell sharply in 2019. Currently, the slaughter volume is growing again to an amount of roughly 1,500 metric tons. During the same time, the
number of organic laying hens has generally increased. By 2020, the number had more than doubled compared to ten years earlier to around 317,000 organic laying hens. As of 2024, it was a little less, but still just under 300,000.
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