The Highlands and Islands leads the way when it comes to Organic Farming in Scotland.

According to the latest data (for the year 2025), 49,487 hectares of land in the Highlands and Islands is being farmed ‘fully organically’. Add into that land in the process of converting to organic farming and it totals 82,209 hectares. That’s a 46% increase from the previous year, 2024.

Fully organic land is land which is fully converted and has met organic standards.

Organic farms in Orkney include Wheems in South Ronaldsay, and Orquil Farm, Kirkwall.

The Highlands and Islands region also has the highest number of organic producers and processors: 125, and 33 respectively.

Organic farmland by region in Scotland, 2018 to 2025.

In Scotland as a whole, the total organic land area (in-conversion and fully organic) was 168,200 hectares, a 28% increase compared with 2024, and a 62% increase compared with 2021. This represented 3.3% of the total agricultural area in Scotland in 2025. Fully organic land area was 115,800 hectares in 2025, an increase of 10% compared with 2024 and 29% compared with 2021.

The organic crops grown in Scotland include cereals – 4,948 hectares (with oats the largest of those ), fruit and nuts – 17 hectares; vegetables – 1,094 hectares; and potatoes – 366 hectares.

Livestock reared on organic Scottish farms includes cattle – total 34,899; sheep – total 177,591; pigs – 614; poultry 282,784 (mostly laying hens) ; deer – 1,911; and goats – 59.

Organic Farming Statistics for the UK.

Area farmed organically by country in the UK , 2025 (thousand hectares)

Country	Area in-conversion	Fully organic area	Total organic area	Total area on agricultural holdings at June	Total organic area as % of June area
United Kingdom	79	461	540	16,773	3.2%
England	24	276	301	8,946	3.4%
Wales	2.4	62	64	1,770	3.6%
Scotland	52	116	168	5,024	3.3%
Northern Ireland	0.1	6.6	6.7	1,032	0.6%

Fiona Grahame

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