Organic agriculture in the District of Aizkraukle and opportunities of development Dzidra Kreismane, Latvia University of Agriculture

Aizkraukle district in Latvia

Aizkraukle region

Why Aizkraukle district ? 1.River Daugava pass the district

Why Aizkraukle district ? 2. Many organic farms 3. There are prerequisites for development of organic agriculture: - safe and uncontaminated nature; - close to markets; - using of local raw materials and labour force recourses; - good co-operetion with advisery service (learning, training, information, support); - possibility for processing, etc. 4. The District Council is engaged in planning the environment in the region

-The District of Aizkraukle was founded in It consists of 3 towns and 19 villages. - The number of population inhabitants, 37 % living in towns and 63 % - in the countryside, density of population - 16 inhabitants / km 2 - The territory km 2, 53.9 % - covered by forests, 32 % - by land used in agriculture, 2.9 %- by water, Characteristic of Aizkraukle district

The potential of the natural resources has favored development of: *****forestry and wood processing; *****power industry; *****building material industry; *****peat processing; *****food product and food processing industries Directions for development in Aizkraukle district

Characteristic of farmers ~ 3500 peasants are employed in agricultural production and ~ in small holding farms, hereof 40 organic peasant farms (1%) and 6 organic small holding farms. The average total area of peasant farms comprises 25 ha of land, but almost in every village there is a big farm. In the LR Commercial Register 1411 farms or 36.4% of all the peasant farms are registered.

Number of organic farms in Latvia

The biologically managed territory, ha

Structure of organic farms in Latvia, 2003

Enterprises of organic agriculture, 2004 CertificationIn LatviaIn Aizkraukle distr. % from total 1st year farms nd year farms ,5 Certified farms ,5 Total ,4

Division of farms according to size in Aizkraukle 71,30% 24,70% 3,90% 0,10% to 10 ha11-50 ha haabove 100 ha

Occupation in farms of Aizkraukle district BranchesAmount of farms % from total Crop production46100 Vegetable growing1737 Fruit - growing1533 Milk production3065 Beef production1124 Pig - breeding715 Poultry farming715 Beekeeping511

1.The district is crossed by the Daugava River, therefore, it is necessary to eliminate use of agricultural chemicals in order to save the Baltic Sea from water pollution. 2. At Skrīveri, the Agricultural Research Institute is located where researchers carry out research in the biological cultivation of plants 3. There is a pronounced lack of processing enterprises. The peasant farms sell the yielded milk to processing enterprises and it is mixed together with conventionally yielded milk. The same can be also said about other kinds of production. The situation can be changed if ’’Daugava” Ltd. And otrher enterprises turns to manufacturing organic products. 4. Opportunity to strengthen the market capacity is in developing cooperation. The territorial evaluation of farms is adequate. Cooperation might be started in the spheres of perennials and growing cereal seeds, canola growing for forage purposes and producing biofuel, in providing services as well, etc.. Conclusions and recommendations