Support for organic beekeeping in Romania: a view for the next rural development programming period.

Organic farming is a continuously growing sector in EU. Recognizing its important contribution to various rural development objectives and priorities, the new Regulation on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development has established a distinct and specific voluntary ”Organic Farming” measure for the period 2014-2020. Since 2006, the organic land area in Romania has increased constantly. Thus, the operational objective of the organic farming measure for the next rural development period would be the doubling of the existing organic certified land to over 4% of the total Utilized Agricultural Area by 2020. Based on the expectations that the new organic farming measure, currently under the design process in Romania, will continue improving the previous approach of the existing national Rural Development Program, the present paper aims to provide a view on including beekeeping under the eligible types of support and to assess the related applicable amounts and support rates for the “Organic Farming” measure. The calculated rate for support results from the additional costs incurred by undertaking organic beekeeping. As regard to income foregone, the differences overall between organic and conventional practices are almost insignificant. The minimum proposed rate applies to both conversion to and maintenance of organic practices.