The area of organic agriculture in Spain grew 8.5% in 2007
Areas under organic production increased by 8.55% in Andalusia during 2007 reached a total of 583,182 hectares devoted to those crops. Together with the surface have also recorded increases in livestock, with nearly 300,000 head of livestock, and agribusiness, which has 409 entities engaged in the development of organic products.
For subsectors, the largest increases have occurred in the areas of greatest impact on production for direct consumption as vegetables and tubers, fruit and citrus irrigation areas which have grown around 50% over the previous year. Also the surfaces of grains and vegetables have increased by 23.93%.
The biggest ecological surface is grassland that has increased by 13.13% compared to 2007, reaching 298,284 hectares. Followed by forest land (146,212 hectares), cereals and pulses (46,725 hectares), olive trees (42,336 hectares) and nuts (26,221 hectares). By province, Huelva tops the list with a total of 123,125 hectares, followed by Cadiz, with 100,861 hectares, Cordova (85,422 hectares), Seville (85,075 hectares), Granada (67,813 hectares), Jaen (53,398 hectares), Almería (34,487 hectares) and Malaga (33,002 hectares).
In the case of livestock has been a general increase, especially sheep meat with 16,687 new head (increase of 10.71%). Currently there are 1731 farms distributed mainly among cattle (808 farms), sheep (456), goats (74), beekeeping (74), pigs (35) and poultry (18), located mainly in the province of Huelva (639). Followed Cadiz (454 farms), Cordova (206), Seville (192), Jaen (95), Granada (70), Malaga (56) and Almeria (19).
As for dedicated to handling and processing of organic products has grown by 15.21% over the previous year. Thus in 2007 there have been 54 new industries which are 38 to 15 biscuits, confectionery and fruit and vegetable handling and packaging. The main agro-ecological Andalucian olive oil mills and packers (100 industries), handling and packaging of fresh fruits and vegetables (78), honey (59), baking and pastry (43) and wineries (21). Most of the agro ecological located in the province of Cordova (77) and Granada (60). The rest is divided between Seville (58), Malaga (57), Almeria (47), Huelva (40), Jaen (38) and Cadiz (32).
Finally, the number of operators has increased by 14.93% over 2006, reaching 7528 in the main producers (7125). The rest are developers (395) and importers (8). The operators are mainly concentrated in the provinces of Almería (1,501), Cordova (1227), Grenada (1183) and Huelva (1152). I still farther Seville (804), Cadiz (629), Malaga (626) and Jaen (406). Green grew up in Andalusia by 8.5% in 2007.