although he 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 Europe, which is the same as saying worldwide,” said Diego Granado, general secretary of Ecovalia, the employer of the sector, who attributes the impulse to the new Aids of the PAC and the descent of the neighboring country. Producers emphasize that this model favors biodiversity, but continues to rely on consumption in Spain.
Precisely both countries lived a controversy at the beginning of last year, on account of a strike by French farmers. French presidential excandidata Ségolène Royal spurred national production and criticized food from Spain in a television program: “Spanish organic products are false” […] Have the Spanish Bío tomatoes tried? They cannot be eaten. ”Later, since all producers have to comply with the same rules.
The EU approved in 1991, which prohibits using chemicals (such as fertilizers, pesticides or feed) and transgenics in agriculture, while in livestock limits antibiotics, forces a natural feeding and establishes a certain animal welfare ——. Who meets those requirements can use the logo with the green leaf (the EUROHOJA) that certifies as an echo (equivalent to Bío or Ecological). In Europe there are already 19.5 million hectares with these characteristics, which rise to almost 99 million worldwide.
All these elements reduce contamination in land and water and increase biodiversity, but also have buts: most continue to export (which generates emissions), has not improved the use of water (not included in the requirements) and has not transformed the food system, for which.
Back to the data, the Ecovalia data presented this Thursday show that in Spain there are almost three million hectares in ecological production, which represents around 13% of the useful agrarian area and makes it the country with the largest biological surface in the 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 bring together 75% of the total area in ecological.
“In 2023 the new common agricultural policy (PAC) started [de la que dependen las subvenciones europeas a los productores]aids to ecological production were convened and this has driven growth, which in some communities has been very remarkable: in Asturias it reaches 52%, while in Extremadura and Castilla y León he touched 30% in a single exercise, ”said Granado.
As for consumption, Spain is still far behind: the 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.
There are other problems: “The biggest challenge in the sector is greenwashing [ecopostureo]. The consumer is increasingly aware of sustainable consumption, but all kinds of mentions in supermarkets are found: carbon fingerprint reduction, sustainable, environmental respectful … but only organic products comply with a public regulation and are certified with the Eurohoja, the most recognizable food seal by consumers. ”
