Farmers and crofters are being asked to consider a move into organic production by Soil Association Scotland.
The organic certification body has urged producers to take advantage of Scottish Government funding to convert to organic.
The funding for organic farming conversion and organic farming maintenance is available through the government’s Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS), which opened for applications at the start of the month.
Soil Association Scotland’s head of agricultural development, David Michie, said: “It is a great time to consider organic. The organic market is growing; the Organic Trade Board are just about to launch a big media campaign that will further boost sales and the Scottish Government has recognised the importance of organic agriculture with its support for the Organic Action Plan: Organic Ambitions.
“Our team in Scotland is at the end of the phone, and we can help with supporting documentation required for funding applications.”
He said the organic market remained in sustained growth.
Scottish shoppers spent £57.8million on organic food and drink in the year to September 2016 – up 11.7% from the year before.
Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewing, encouraged all interested farmers to apply for Agri-Environment Climate Scheme funding by the March 31 deadline.
He said: “The funding can be used to improve water quality, protect land and support organic farming and importantly it will help us meet our ambitious climate change targets.
“We want Scotland to be a world-class producer of high quality food: sustainably, profitably and efficiently in environmental and economic terms. The farming and food production sector is key to achieving this ambition – change will only happen with the involvement of primary food producers.”
