ORGANIC FARMING IN PORTUGAL

Organic farming, which is considered to fulfil numerous functions in the development of rural areas, began to develop in Portugal in the 1990s. In 2002 there were approximately 800 farms that applied organic methods in Portugal and they operated on not more than 1% of the total area of arable land existing in that country, which gave it the last position among the EU member-states. The article analyses the processes of development of organic farming and its institutionalization, and presents the profiles of farmers running organic farms. It also deals with the myths that have accrued around the phenomenon of organic farming. Key words: organic farming, rural development, Portugal.