Data revealing Scottish organic land in growth described as encouraging

A new report revealing organic land area in Scotland has grown 28 per cent since last year has been described by Government as encouraging evidence of the growing confidence in organic farming.

Minister for Agriculture, Jim Fairlie, was commenting on publication of the Organic Farming In Scotland 2025 report, which has shown that in Scotland, the total organic land area (in-conversion and fully organic) was 168,200 hectares, a 28 per cent increase compared with 2024, and a 62 per cent increase compared with 2021.

Fairlie commented: “These new statistics show that the amount of land being farmed as organic in Scotland has seen a 62 per cent increase since 2021. This represents 3.3 per cent of Scotland’s total agricultural area. This is encouraging evidence of the growing confidence in organic farming across Scotland, and we are seeing strong progress in a sector that delivers benefits for our environment, biodiversity, animal welfare, and rural economy.

“Particularly significant is the sharp rise in land entering conversion, around double the area compared with 2024. This demonstrates that more farmers and crofters are recognising the opportunities organic production can offer and are investing in a sustainable future for their businesses. Scotland has a strong reputation for producing high-quality food and drink, and our organic sector plays an important role in strengthening that reputation at home and abroad. These figures highlight the commitment of Scotland’s producers to meeting growing consumer demand while supporting our wider climate and nature ambitions.”

The statistics covers organic land area, land use, livestock and operators in Scotland. The results are produced from data compiled by approved organic certification bodies and provides an overview of the results of the organic farming data for Scotland based on data compiled by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).