Dry weather during the summer growing period reduced harvest levels also in 2022, particularly in the southeastern parts of the country. However, the total eco-approved grain harvest was still 24 percent larger than the average for the last five years, including the drought-induced crop failure in 2018.

Lower yields for organic farming

The yield per hectare is lower for organic farming than for conventional cultivation. This is partly because 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 oats in 2022 was 42 percent lower in organic farming in the county of Värmland 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, einkorn wheat, Öland wheat, emmer and naked oats.

Total production of organically farmed peas increased

The total production of peas approved for sale with organic labelling was estimated at 11 000 tonnes in 2022. This is a 53 percent increase compared to the low total production in 2021. The yield per hectare of organically farmed peas increased by 51 percent, compared with the yield in 2021.

Increased area of organically farmed winter rape resulted in larger production

The area of organically cultivated winter rape increased by 26 percent, compared to 2021 and reached a record-breaking 9 840 hectares. For winter rape, therefore, the total harvest that was converted and approved for sale with organic labelling increased by 1 600 tonnes or 9 percent to the record-breaking 19 000 tonnes. This was even though the yield per hectare decreased by 13 percent due to damage from the winter weather.

Organically farmed table potatoes

The total production of table potatoes approved for sale with organic labelling was estimated at 33 200 tonnes, which is on par with 2021's results. Up to 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 2022.

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.