Farmers’ Perceptions of the Organic Product Certification Procedure: A Preliminary Investigation in North Greece

This paper examines farmers’ perceptions about organic certification procedures by focusing on the complexity and effectiveness of the procedures required. Also, this paper tries to shed some light on the challenges faced by farmers in implementing the certification specifications and looks for ways to improve the process. Overall, investigating farmers’ perceptions of the organic certification standards is an important step toward promoting and improving organic agriculture, as it helps to tailor the certification system to better meet farmers’ needs and concerns. The conducted analysis first provides some valuable insights into the general knowledge of farmers’ motivations and preferences for adopting organic farming. The analysis revealed the influence of concurrent agricultural activities (conventional and organic) on the perceptions and preferences of farmers. Thus, this study highlights the differences between organic and conventional growers regarding compliance issues and perceptions of specifications, adding depth and practical significance to this study. Overall, the research constitutes an important contribution to the understanding of organic agriculture, deepening the general knowledge of farmers’ motivations and preferences in this field.