Government cash for farmers that switch to organic farming is being doubled.

Farmers who convert to organic will receive up to twice as much as the previous rates in a raft of government payment increases.

Payments for organic farming in England are rising by between 46 per cent and 500 per cent for those entering a new scheme with Countryside Stewardship, which opened its window for applications yesterday (February 8).

The rate hike comes alongside a surge in the organic market, with a 23 per cent increase since 2019 revealed today (February 9) in Soil Association Certification’s annual Organic Market Report.

Organic is out-performing non-organic sales, with the market reaching a record net worth of £3.05 billion.

Some organic farmers will now be able to earn triple or even six times as much as before from government cash incentives, which will be available until at least 2024 when an organic standard is promised as part of the new Sustainable Farming Incentives (SFI).

Adrian Steele, Soil Association Organic Sector Advisor, said: “The changes to farm policy and payments post-Brexit are causing lots of concern for farmers.

"But it is clear is that there are big opportunities for nature-friendly farming, and organic is set to receive renewed government support.

“The good things that agroecological and organic farmers are doing, which have long been overlooked, are now set to be rewarded under the new Environmental Land Management Schemes.

"The longer-term goals that government has set out for agriculture, with a new focus on protecting soils, wildlife and the environment, are in harmony with the principles of organic farming.

"Alongside continued growth in the organic market, this should give farmers confidence in switching to or maintaining organic practices, despite the short-term uncertainty facing every farm."

Converting permanent improved grassland and top fruit to organic will receive double the previous payments at a new rate of £150 per hectare.

Conversion to organic rotational land, horticulture and unimproved grassland will receive around 50 per cent more than before, with new rates ranging from £76 to £602 per hectare.

For management of organic farmland, payments will rise by around 50 per cent for rotational land and unimproved permanent grassland.

Payments are going up by six times for managing enclosed rough grazing organically, with rates doubling for management of organic horticulture and tripling for top fruit.

The only exception in the rate increases is those for management of organic improved permanent grassland. These payments are due to remain at the same rate in 2022, and then be halved in 2023.

British shoppers are now spending almost £60 million on organic products every week, with a particularly strong performance for online and box schemes, which together delivered growth of 13% worth £558m.

But the challenge remains for UK farmers and supply chains to step up and meet this rising demand with British produce, rather than imports.

The total area of land farmed organically has remained largely the same, increasing by just 0.8 per cent compared to 2019.

But the latest figures from Defra show that in 2020 there was a 12 per cent rise in the area of land currently going through the two-year conversion period to become organic, compared to the previous year.