Piotr Zydlik

Abstract. The area of ecological cultivations in Poland, which do not take large part in ecological production, in the last several years gradually increased. Because of rising interest of environmental problems and possibility of obtaining a financial support we can expect, that popularity of such manner of fruit production would still increase.

Ecological fruit production in Poland

Summary

The article presents the role and trends of changes in fruit growing in Polish ecological farming. In the years 1999-2003 the area of ecological orchards and plantations of berry-bearing plants increased in Poland. However, these cultivated areas constitute a relatively small percentage of the total area of ecological agricultural acreage. In the analysed four-year period ecological orchards accounted for as little as 1.7%, while plantations of berry-bearing plants 2.1% acreage.

It was attempted to show causes for the slight share of fruit growing farms in the ecological agricultural acreage. It was found that one of them is the obligation to implement numerous restrictions obligatory in organic farming production, especially in comparison to the traditional methods of fruit production.

Binding legal regulations makes it possible to obtain partial financing for inspection costs and subsidies to ecological fruit farm production. This fact, in combination with e.g. increasing interest in ecological issues, justifies the claim that the acreage of ecological fruit farming will continue to increase in the nearest future.