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C2.1: Introduction

This document aims to give an overview of possible data collection methods for key indicators in organic agriculture:

  • area and livestock numbers,
  • production volume (including yields)  and value,
  • price data (farm and retail level),
  • domestic market volume and value,
  • international trade volume and value.

Each section begins with a short introduction, followed by a description of different approaches to data collection or collation that were used, and some information from background literature. The data collection methods that are discussed should give a good overview of current practise but this is not necessarily a fully inclusive list and other approaches may be possible. Each section concludes with some remarks on issues to consider for the particular data type.

For further information on the methodological background of data collection and sampling, see part D of the OrMaCode.

Examples from the case studies carried out in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the Mediterranean countries (Gerrard et al. 2014) are used to illustrate where and how the methods described have actually been applied.