Macedonia: organic agriculture is on the rise

Organic agriculture is gaining ground in Macedonia. Biokult was opened in 2011 as the only relatively large shop offering a broad range of organics, although organic products are also sold through conventional supermarkets and can be found at farmers’ markets in the capital Skopje, in Bitola, Prilep and Rosoman. Some health food shops, as well as some shops specialised in herbs and teas and bee products, also offer organics. Various initiatives, like an organic food festival in Skopje, help to raise public awareness in the country. The government has given support and in 2010 the area of organic land expanded and the number of operators increased dramatically.

The organic supermarket Biokult (100 m²), that was opened in April 2011, stocks 2,500 products. It is located in the city mall in the centre of Skopje. The store offers a full assortment of organics - a broad range of food products, beverages, food supplements, cosmetics and ecological detergents (see picture). About 8 % of the offer is sourced from Macedonia: fresh fruit and vegetables, honey and other bee products, bread, snacks, spreads, products made with goat milk, and some macrobiotic articles. New and rare seeds, nuts, legumes and spices are of particular interest to Biokult’s customers, although the lower standard of living in Macedonia compared with the EU countries and the higher price of the organic products is usually a drawback for most people.

The company is slowly expanding, and also starting to distribute some of the products through the conventional supermarket chains in Macedonia. Ivan Jovanovski, the general manager, tells Organic-Market.Info that a lot more work is required, including education, promotion and marketing, because organics are relatively new in the country and there is still a lot of confusion.
(Picture: cosmetics at Biokult)

Organics in Macedonia are sold at green markets, but the producers still need to be organised. There are still no “organic corners” or special sections dedicated to organics. So far, only a few producers run farm-gate sales. Because the offer of fruits and vegetables are very seasonal, their potential is limited, Mr. Goran Angelovski from the Macedonian Organic Producers Federation tells Organic-Market.Info. The website www.organicmacedonia.org.mk was launched in April 2011 to give easier access to organic producers’ contact information. Displayed online are the producers of honey and other bee products, teas, spices, medical and aromatic plants, plums, apples, mushrooms, chestnuts, melons, pumpkins, barley, corn, wheat, other cereals, potatoes, vegetables like peas and peppers, onions, carrots, lamb, milk and white cheese.

The website was launched with the support of the Macedonian Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and is edited by the Macedonian Organic Producers Federation (FPOPM). It could be a great opportunity but it needs to be promoted much more, because it is still largely unknown to both producers and consumers. The ministry mounted a small promotional campaign for organic products in 2010, but the tender for a PR agency to implement the campaign was not successful in 2011. The ministry has allocated some finances for 2012, so it is hoped that this year’s campaign will be a success.

The Macedonian Federation of Organic Producers is active on a local, national and international level. Its members range in size from the family-held farms of individual producers to large companies. The federation has developed the “Green Food” trademark under which all products from their organic members may be offered on the domestic market. (Picture: Green Food trademark on the poster)

FPOPM represents the organic interests to policymakers, the media, and the public and serves as the unified voice for the organic producers in Macedonia. FPOPM representatives participate in various commissions and work groups formed by the relevant authorities working on organic production policies and legislation or are connected with other issues relating to the organic movement. FPOPM monitors and informs stakeholders via its website regarding state and EU legislation. Local activities like training, consultancy and workshops are implemented by regional associations and are frequently organised as FPOPM events. The association also supports the editing and printing of manuals and promotion materials. Activities and projects involving children have been discussed as a further positive approach, but so far they have not been able to identify anyone to support their implementation. (Picture to the right and below: Organic Sarajevo 2012)

The federation is providing support in organising international study visits, events and participation in trade shows and fairs like BioFach. Taking part in the first international fair and congress of organic agriculture and eco-tourism “Organic Sarajevo 2012” and the Balkan Organic Network (BON) conference in Sarajevo (Bosnia) in March 2012 were the Macedonian Organic Producers Federation, as one of the founders of BON, and 70 organic producers from the western Balkans. The congress had representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania and Turkey and aimed to facilitate the networking of organic producers in south-east Europe, to connect eco-tourism, and to harmonise with EU standards to improve trade. The Macedonian Organic Producers Federation gave information on the current situation of organic production in Macedonia and the goals and strategy for the years ahead.

Since 2008 the federation has been organizing the annual "Day of Organic Production" (picture). Usually the event takes place in Skopje in October with the Ministry for Agriculture as the main sponsor and other donors. The event aims to bring organic producers and their products closer to consumers, and Skopje as the biggest potential market is the traditional host. In 2011, the City of Skopje joined in the organisation and the event became the "Organic Food Festival". It was organized for the first time in the open on Macedonia square, the main square in Skopje. About 50 exhibitors from Macedonia participated, as well as organic producers from Serbia and Bulgaria. Several thousand people came to visit. This year both the Ministry for Agriculture and the City of Skopje have dedicated a budget, and it is intended to make the "Organic Food Festival" a regular national event.
 

The structure of consumers in Macedonia is largely the same as in the other countries. In general, consumers are acquainted with the benefits of organic products in terms of health, but not sufficiently with the benefits in terms of the social and environmental aspects. The prices of imported organic products are drastically higher than of conventional products, and domestic organic products are slightly more expensive than their conventional counterparts - about 10 to 30 %. (Picture: a poster promoting organics in Macedonia)
 

In 2010, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management registered the largest growth in the organic sector in Macedonia so far, both regarding the number of producers and organic land. About 320 certified producers were active in 2009 and their number increased to 562 in 2010. There are some organic processing companies that specialise in collected products and produce for example dried herbs/tea (picture) and mushrooms, preserved and processed fruits, vinegar, juices, juice concentrate and jams. Most of the production is export-oriented due to the limited local market. There is some production capacity at the farmers’ level too.

About 15,000 bee-hives were certified organic. Organic land increased from close to 1,400 hectares in 2009 to over 5,200 hectares in 2010, with cereals being the most important crop in 2010 (62 %), followed by forage (20 %), fruit, wine growing and vegetables. Oilseeds from rape and industrial crops were also available. (Picture: Macedonian bee products, also promoted with the Green Food logo)
 

The Law on Organic Agricultural Production, that was adopted by the Parliament in April 2004 (Official Gazette No. 16/2004), required furthermore the adoption of 12 by-laws. Since 2005 Balkan Biocert has a branch office in Macedonia, which provides services to interested Macedonian organic farmers, processors and traders. Pro Cert also offers organic certification in Macedonia.

A significant step to boost development of the organic sector in Macedonia was taken with the approval of the National Strategy and Action Plan for organic agriculture in Macedonia 2008 – 2011. The strategy 2012 – 2015 is currently under development.

In 2007, the optional subject “organic agricultural production” was included in secondary agricultural schools im Macedonia. At the academic level, the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science includes some models related to organic farming, and the University Goce Delcev also offers courses on organic agriculture. (Picture: organic fruit, peanuts and jam from Macedonia)