Development of organic farming vs the support from the RDP 2004-2006 (rural development programme) and RDP 2007-2013

Changes in organic farming between 2004 and 2010 in relation to the support under the RDP 2004-2006 and RDP 2007-2013 organic farming schemes were presented in the paper. While analysing the changes, the reports on the state of organic farming in Poland published by MAFQI were used. The conducted analysis proves that introducing the support under the RDP 2004-2006 and RDP 2007-2013 resulted in high dynamics of organic farms area and amount growth. The support system under the RDP 2004-2006 and RDP 2007-2013 has been a basic factor stimulating the dynamic organic farming development since 2004. The system based on high payment rates has become an efficient financial instrument strengthening the organic farming attractiveness, which reflected in growth of its quantitative characteristics. Under the RDP 2004-2006, orchards with the highest payment rates and low requirements were more popular than the other crops, which reflected in the fact that they absorbed the biggest part of organic farming support. In turn, the revised payment rates under the RDP 2007-2013 resulted in positive changes in distribution of support quotas for particular crops, especially in growth of quotas paid for agricultural and vegetable crops. One can expect that the change of the rates may cause a growth of supply and improvement of assortment offer on organic food market in future.