In 2020, the area of organic agricultural land in Asia was over 6.1 million hectares,representing 0.4 percent of the total agricultural area in the region. Eight percent of the global organic agricultural land was in Asia. Since 2001, the organic land in the region has grown almost fourteen-fold. Between 2019 and 2020, there was an increase in the organic area of 8 percent. As in previous years, India and China were the countries with the largest organic agricultural area in Asia in 2020. In 2020, India had a total organic agricultural area of nearly 2.7 million hectares. China’s organic agricultural area was over 2.4 million hectares. The country with the highest number of organic producers was India, with nearly 1.6 million producers. For more than ten years, the country with the highest organic share of total agricultural land has been Timor-Leste (8.5 percent in 2020).
Land use
In 2020, land use information was available for 58 percent of the organic agricultural area in Asia – 44 percent arable crops (over 2.7 million hectares), 14 percent permanent crops (nearly 844’000 hectares), and 0.3 percent permanent grassland/grazing areas (nearly 17´000 hectares). For 42 percent of the organic agricultural land, no land use information was available.
Since 2013, the most important organic arable crop has been cereals (mainly rice, wheat, and maize), with almost 1.3 million hectares in 2020, followed by oilseeds (mainly soybeans), with nearly 578’000 hectares, and textile crops (mainly cotton), with over 355’000 hectares. The countries with the largest arable crop areas were China, which reported nearly 1.9 million hectares (mainly cereals and oilseeds), followed by India, with over 415’000 hectares (cotton and soybeans), Thailand, with over 143’000 hectares (mainly rice), and Kazakhstan, with over 107’000 hectares (cereals, textile crops, fallow land, and oilseeds).
• Organic cereals were grown on almost 1.3 million hectares, representing 0.4 percent of the total cereal area in Asia and 25.5 percent of the world’s organic cereal area. Most organic cereals were grown in China (nearly 1.1 million hectares) and Thailand (nearly 133’000 hectares). The key organic cereals were rice, wheat, and maize. Organic rice represented 43 percent of the total organic cereal area and, together with wheat (19 percent) and grain maize (18 percent), represented 80 percent of the total organic cereal area in Asia. Organic rice was mainly grown in China (340’000 hectares), constituting 62 percent of the total organic rice in the region. The largest organic wheat areas were also in China (240’000 hectares), followed by Kazakhstan (over 24’000 hectares), together representing almost all of the total organic wheat area in Asia. The largest organic grain maize areas were in China (230’000 hectares), representing almost all of the
organic grain maize area in Asia.
• Organic oilseeds were grown on almost 578’000 hectares, representing one percent of the total oilseeds area in Asia and 32.7 percent of the world’s organic oilseeds area. Most organic oilseeds were grown in China (over 427’000 hectares) and India (130’000 hectares). The key organic oilseeds were soybeans. Organic soybeans represented 74 percent of the total organic oilseeds area in Asia. Organic soybeans were mainly grown in China (almost 292’000 hectares) and India (130’000 hectares), together representing 99 percent of the total organic soybeans
area in the region.
• Organic textile crops were grown on over 355’000 hectares, representing 1.3 percent of the total textile crops area in Asia and 57.6 percent of the world’s organic textile crops area. Most organic textile crops were grown in India (over 285’000 hectares). The key organic textile crop was cotton. Organic cotton represented 98 percent of the total organic textile crops area in Asia. Organic cotton was mainly grown in India (over 285’000 hectares), representing 82 percent of the total organic cotton area in the region.
The most important organic permanent crops were coconuts, with over 236’000 hectares, and tea, with 150’000 hectares. The countries with the largest permanent crop areas were China, which reported over 363’000 hectares (tea, temperate fruit, and nuts), and the Philippines, which reported over 181’000 hectares (mainly coconuts).
• Organic coconuts were grown on over 236’000 hectares, representing 2.5 percent of the total coconuts area in Asia and 80.2 percent of the world’s organic coconut area. Most organic coconuts were grown in the Philippines (over 174’000 hectares), representing 74 percent of the total organic coconut area in the region.
• Organic tea was grown on 150’000 hectares, representing 3.3 percent of the total tea area in Asia and 83.9 percent of the world’s organic tea area. Most organic tea was grown in China (125’000 hectares), representing 83 percent of the total organic tea area in the region.
Wild collection
In 2020, over 3.5 million hectares of organic wild collection were reported in Asia. Unfortunately, detailed data was available for less than one percent of the reported area. India and China were the countries in the region with the largest organic wild collection area, with each of them reporting nearly 1.7 million hectares.
Producers
In 2020, over 1.8 million organic producers were reported in Asia. India was the country with the highest number of organic producers (almost 1.6 million), followed by Thailand (nearly 97’000). Unfortunately, many countries do not report the number of producers or only report the number of companies; thus, it can be assumed that the number of producers is higher.
Market
In Asia, organic market data is still not available for most of the countries, but it can be assumed that the market is continually growing. Ten countries (more than 20 percent of the countries with organic data) provided organic retail sales values. From the data available, we can assume that over 12.5 billion euros of organic products were sold in Asia in 2020. For China, ov er 10.2 billion euros were reported for 2020, and it is the country with the world’s fourth-largest market for organic products.
Furthermore, Japan has a large organic domestic market valued at 1.4 billion euros (2018), and South Korea reported a market of nearly 391 million euros. More information about the Asian market is available in the chapter about the global market from Amarjit Sahota. |
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