Agriculture

Desire for organic returns after inflation frustration

Organic farmers are once again looking to the future with more optimism.

(Bild: mathis.studio)

Things are looking up again: sales figures for organic products are on the rise after the inflation slump. Recently, there have also been fewer resignations from organic farmers in Salzburg. Why do consumers buy organic? The main reason is that they want to ensure animal welfare.  

Organic farmers who are giving up. Consumers who are turning over every euro twice when buying food due to rising prices. Organic farming has also struggled recently in the flagship province of Salzburg, where 56 percent of agricultural land is organic.

At the beginning of the year, there was a decline in the number of farms for the first time in the history of organic farming. In Salzburg too, 250 organic farmers gave up under the weight of price increases and complex subsidy guidelines.

No more organic farmers are currently giving up
In the meantime, optimism is returning: "The membership figures have now stabilized," says Ulrike Gangl, Chairwoman of Bio Austria in Salzburg, happily. As an organic farmer with a dairy farm and side businesses such as geese and chickens, she knows only too well how much idealism is involved in organic farming. As of October 2, 1222 organic farms were members in Salzburg.

The mood is positive. Some organic farmers had to give up this spring, but things are currently stabilizing.

Ulrike Gangl, Bio Austria Salzburg

There has recently been a slight decline in sales due to the Ukraine crisis and the increase in raw material prices. Now the figures are rising again. In the first half of 2024, 1.8% more organic products were purchased than in the previous year. There is increased demand for organic eggs and organic butter in particular, which are currently in short supply in supermarkets. Gangl: "The figures show that organic quality has now become a matter of course for many households." Consumers want organic products in their shopping trolley to focus on animal welfare and support production in their own region.

Moderate price increases for organic products
Good news for the price-conscious: organic products are less dependent on resources. Price increases are therefore more moderate. This coming weekend, businesses will be presenting themselves at the 30th Organic Festival on Kapitelplatz.