Persistent rainy weather during spring and autumn as well as dry weather conditions during the summer growth period led to lower crop yields last year. The yield of oats which was approved for sale with organic labelling was 37 percent lower than in 2020. The total organic-approved grain harvest was 5 percent less than the average for the last five years. One of the five years was 2018 with crop failure caused by drought.

Lower yields for organic farming

The yield per hectare is lower for organic farming than for conventional cultivation. This is partly due to the fact that chemical plant protection products and synthetically produced mineral fertilizers are not used in organic farming. As an example, it can be mentioned that the yield of spring barley in 2021 was 42 percent lower in organic farming in Götaland's intermediate areas than in the corresponding conventional cultivation in the area.

Unusual and more low-yielding varieties also occur more often in organic farming than in conventional cultivation. In addition to spelt wheat, this also applies to, for example, unicorn wheat, Öland wheat, emmer, naked oats and naked barley.

Total production of organically farmed peas decreased

The total production of peas approved for sale with organic labelling was estimated at 7 200 tonnes in 2021. This is 14 percent less than in 2020. The yield per hectare of organically farmed peas decreased by 25 percent, compared with the yield in 2020.

Increased area of organically farmed winter rape resulted in larger production

The area of organically cultivated winter rape increased by 20 percent, compared to 2020 and reached a record-breaking 7 810 hectares. For winter rape, therefore, the total harvest that was converted and approved for sale with organic labelling increased by 2 800 tonnes or 19 percent between 2020 and 2021. The total harvest of 17 400 tonnes is record high, and exceeds the previous record from 2017 by 2 000 tonnes.

Reduction of the total production of organically farmed table potatoes

The total production of table potatoes approved for sale with organic labelling was estimated at 31 300 tonnes, which is 18 percent less than in 2020. Almost 7 percent of Sweden's total harvest of table potatoes was organically cultivated. About 10 percent of the acreage of table potatoes was organically farmed in 2021.

Production levels in organic and non-organic farming

A more detailed report on this survey and results for individual crops is published in Statistical Report JO0608 and is available on the Swedish Board of Agriculture’s website www.jordbruksverket.se under Statistics. Yields per hectare for various crops and in various regions are compared here between organic and non-organic farming.

More about the statistics

More information about the statistics, tables, and graphs is available on the websites of Statistics Sweden and the Swedish Board of Agriculture.

Previous publications

Data on yields and production from organic and non-organic farming has been collected since 2003. The results are presented in the Swedish Board of Agriculture database and in the Statistical Reports. The statistics are based on data from farmers who apply these two forms of farming in practice.