– People are interested in short-travel food, they want to know where the food they eat comes from. So I think there is room for many like us, says Eva Hauge Sund. Together with her husband Peder Sund, she made a vegetable garden at home at Lysekloster in Bjørnafjorden municipality, just south of Bergen. Two small beds quickly turned into 18, and now they sell vegetables directly to eager consumers throughout the Bergen region. – Initially, we only did this to have food for ourselves. But then it increased, so we thought: Why not try to sell a little? says Peder. – Went into the red last year The gardeners are part of a significant vegetable boom in Vestland county, where the landscape and climate have previously been an obstacle. New methods and cultivation on a smaller scale have led to 127,000 square meters of land – or 127 acres – being used for vegetable production in the last two years alone, by close to 50 new vegetable growers. – We grow beetroot, cucumber, celery, peas, beans and lots of cabbage plants, the couple says. But the commercial part is far from lucrative. – How much do you earn from this? – Last year we were in the red. But we see this as an investment. Maybe we’ll break even this year, and then we’ll see if we can break even next year, says Peder Sund. 18 GARDENS: Two vegetable gardens have grown to 18 for the couple at Lysekloster. Photo: Linnea Skare Oskarsen / news Needs more facilitation Urban farmer in Bergen, Ida Kleppe, works to promote urban agriculture. She thinks it is wonderful that many farmers and gardeners in Western Norway now see the possibilities of growing vegetables on a small scale. But Kleppe fears that poor profitability could threaten future growth. She believes that better support schemes are needed if small farmers and enthusiasts are to be part of the future of agriculture. – Agriculture and food production are well subsidized in Norway. But such small-scale vegetable production has not entered the subsidy system yet. If it doesn’t happen within a fairly short time, I don’t think this has a very good future, says city farmer Kleppe. NATURAL FERTILIZER: Peder Sund with one of the sheep that provides the vegetable farmers with natural fertiliser. Photo: Linnea Skare Oskarsen / news Borch: – Investment in the agricultural settlement Minister of Agriculture and Food Sandra Borch expresses great joy at the western trend. She believes the gardener couple and others have already been taken care of through the agricultural settlement. – In this year’s agricultural settlement, we made a commitment to this sector. The investment also applies to support for investments in small-scale green production, says Borch. – Vegetable production receives area subsidies and price subsidies. This applies to all companies. The limits and rates for subsidies are discussed every year in the agricultural negotiations. This also applies to small-scale vegetable producers, says the minister. REJECTS CLAIMS: Agriculture and Food Minister Sandra Borch believes that the small-scale farmers have been taken care of through the agricultural settlement. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB I think many will be with Harald Blaaflat Mundal in Sogn fruit and vegetables, I believe vegetable enthusiasts have hit a zeitgeist, and that small-scale production has the potential to grow significantly. – Now there is a lot of talk about Norwegian production and self-sufficiency. There has been a pandemic, there is war in Ukraine and there is a focus on Norwegian-produced food. I think many people would like to be a part of that, says Mundal.
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Massive increase in small-scale vegetable production in the west – news Vestland
