The sector of organic agriculture is growing dynamically notwithstanding the EU-Russia sanctions, Slovak Agriculture and Regional Development Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek said in Beladice (Nitra region) on Tuesday.
A mansion in Beladice has been playing host to a meeting of seven EU agriculture ministers (Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria) which has resulted in the signing of a joint declaration on organic farming. “Organic agriculture is growing by 9 percent year-on-year, so it's being viewed as one of the main directions of agricultural production for the future”, said Jahnátek. The European Commission has reacted to the trend by introducing new conditions for organic farming, the production of organic food, its distribution and sale. The seven countries have certain doubts that the related EU directive will give a sufficient boost to organic farming, however. “The directive contains certain provisions that would finish off production in small agricultural companies”, cautioned Slovenian Agriculture, Forestry and Food Industry Minister Dejan Židan. Six countries – bar the Czech Republic – disagree with the notion of obliging agricultural companies which produce a certain kind of organic food to introduce organic production for all its products. “This may hamper the development of these companies. We believe that mixed production should be allowed for some time - of course, under strict supervision”, said Jahnátek. Czech minister Marian Jurečka, meanwhile, stated that his country "views it as important to differentiate clearly between companies with conventional and organic production”. All ministers at the meeting also expressed objections to the Commission's provision stating that a common EU logo should be placed on organic food products. According to Jahnátek, many EU countries have their own well-established logos, and it would be better if national logos were used along with the EU logo.
