The production of beef from the organic farming sector in Ireland is set to quadruple by 2030, while production of organic lamb is set to increase six times over in the same period.
That’s according to data presented at the Bord Bia Meat Marketing Seminar 2024, which took place today (Friday, January 19).
If those forecasts turn out to be accurate, organic beef production will amount to about 15,000t by 2030, while organic lamb production will be about 2,500t.
By 2030, 75% to 80% of Irish organic production will be exported, the seminar heard.
The data, presented by Bord Bia’s organic sector manager Emmet Doyle, also showed that 5% Ireland’s agricultural land is currently under organic farming, meaning the country is half-way to its 2030 target (as set out in the Common Agricultural Policy – CAP – Strategic Plan) of having 10% of the country under organic farming by that year.
The 5% figure is a significant increase on the figure for 2020, which was 1.5%.
There are currently some 5,000 farmers farming organically or in conversion to organics in Ireland (judging by membership of the Organic Farming Scheme).
Of those farmers, 85% are in the livestock sector.
Commenting on the current condition of the Irish organic sector, Doyle said: “There’s a lot of momentum in the Irish organic sector.
“It took about 20 years to get the first 2,000 farmers into [organics], and in the last 12 months we’ve seen an additional three thousand farmers after joining,” he added.
Within the livestock sector there is a two year conversion period to organic status, which means an organic farmers can’t sell their cattle or sheep as organic until they have been in the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) for two years. During that two year period the farmer is said to be “in conversion” to organic farming.
For that reason, Doyle explained, there is a two year lag between farmers entering the OFS and the associated organic products coming on stream.
Doyle said that Bord Bia has been working with industry to determine where the export opportunities are for Irish organic beef and lamb over the next three to five years, with seven markets being identified.
These are Germany, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK, and France.
“We’re now conducting a pan-European research project to understand who and what the opportunities are in these different markets for organic beef and lamb,” Doyle said.
Through this research, Bord Bia is hoping to deliver an export market implementation plan; organic market reports for each of the seven markets; insights to support trade opportunities; and an “engaged customer network”.