What producing organically means
Organic production, also called biological or ecological, is a management system that combines good farming and livestock practices, responsible use of natural resources, demonstrated traceability and the promotion of biodiversity. In the European Union it is regulated by Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products. To sell a product as organic, it is not enough to grow "without chemicals": you must comply with that regulation and be registered in an official control system.
The conversion period
A holding that wants to produce organically must go through a process called conversion. During that period the methods of organic production must be applied, but the resulting product cannot yet be sold as organic. According to the European Commission, the duration depends on the type of production: three years for perennial crops of berries, trees and vines, twelve months for pig or poultry grazing, and two years in the case of annual crops of pasture for ruminants. For an olive grove, a fruit orchard or a vineyard, that is, a good part of what is grown in Extremadura, the three-year period weighs on the calculations. If you buy an estate that has already been organic for years, you are also buying that conversion already completed.
Who inspects in Extremadura
In Spain, organic production is controlled in each autonomous community. In Extremadura, the Organic Farming Committee of Extremadura, CAEX, was created by Decree 42/2009, and the Junta maintains a specific portal on organic production, with state and regional regulations. Royal Decree 833/2014 created the General Register of Organic Operators, REGOE. To begin, the operator registers, submits to the checks of the authority or the authorised control body and receives the corresponding certificate. Always consult the updated information on the Junta's website, because procedures and deadlines change.
When it makes sense
- Olive groves, almond, vineyards and fruit trees, which can be sold with added value if the market pays for it.
- Extensive livestock farming in dehesa, where you should consult the conversion periods that apply to pastures and animals.
- Vegetable gardens and direct-sale production, with customers who value the label.
- Already certified estates, where the buyer inherits the certification and the markets.
For a recreational estate with a small vegetable garden for your own consumption, no certification is needed; you can simply grow as you prefer. Certification is for selling. If you only want to eat well, read the guide on vegetable garden and fruit trees for self-sufficiency.
If you buy an organic estate
- Ask for the current certificate and check that it is in the seller's name and covers the plots you are buying.
- Ask which plots are in conversion and which are already qualified.
- Ask for the field notebooks and inspection reports of recent years.
- Check whether the certification transfers with the estate or whether a new procedure is needed as the new holder.
- Check what happens with the sales contracts for the organic product.
- Ask about the organic subsidies received and pending commitments.
An estate advertised as "organic" without a certificate in order can lose that status, and with it part of its value. Do not rely on an oral claim: ask for the documents and verify with the administration.
Subsidies and CAP
Organic production can give access to specific subsidies within the common agricultural policy and rural development programmes, but we cannot give the specific conditions here. Conditions and amounts change with each period and each call, so reliable figures cannot be given here. Look at the guide on CAP and eco-schemes in the dehesa and ask at the agricultural office of your comarca which subsidies are open.
Costs and difficulties
- Possible change in yields during and after conversion, which you must calculate with data for the specific crop.
- Certification and inspection costs each year.
- Conversion years without being able to sell as organic.
- Market: not every organic product sells at an automatic premium.
Doing the numbers
Before converting an estate, calculate three things: the cost of the conversion years, the price at which you will be able to sell the organic product and the subsidies available. Talk to cooperatives and buyers in your area to find out whether there is demand and what contract they offer. The guide on profitability of a rural estate gives you a method for comparing scenarios. For specific crops, look at the one on traditional, intensive and super-intensive olive groves or the one on nuts in Extremadura.
Organic and designations of origin
The organic label is one thing and a designation of origin another. They can be combined, but each has its own control and its own requirements. To understand the region's designations, read products with designation of origin in Extremadura.
Conclusion
Organic farming can add value to an estate, but it requires time, control and a market. If you plan to convert one, calculate the conversion years and the subsidies; if you plan to buy one already certified, check the documents and the continuity of the certificate. In both cases, the regional administration is the reliable source.