HC Deb 31 March 2003 vol 402 c536W
David Burnside

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland w hat progress has been made towards the target for the area of land converted to organic farming by 2006. [104795]

Mr. Pearson

The Northern Ireland Rural Development Plan 2000–2006 included a target that, by 2006, 1,000 farmers would be managing 30,000 hectares organically. At present some 140 producers have 5,200 hectares under organic management.