Danish Bioeconomy: Key Facts and Statistics

Denmark's bioeconomy employs 196,000 people and contributes €41 billion annually, integrating agriculture, forestry, and bioenergy. It spans 33,148 farms across 2.62 million hectares, with 2.238 million hectares in cereals, 20,000 in horticulture, and 10,000 in fruits and vegetables. Livestock includes 5.7 million cattle, 18.5 million pigs, 1.3 million sheep, and 550 million poultry. Forests cover 625,000 hectares (14.5% of land), 75% privately owned by 24,000 landowners. Bioenergy supplies two-thirds of renewable energy via combustion, gasification, biogas, and liquid biofuels, with 166 biogas plants (up 40–45% from 2015–2017). The 2025 energy plan targets 30% renewable energy, 10% biofuels in transport, and a second-generation biofuel demonstration plant. The timber sector contributes €4.2 billion to GDP, with €0.55 billion from the timber industry. Biomass use remains partial, relying on imported wood pellets. Food and beverage exports total €6.3 billion (17% of national exports), with agri-tech and bio-based products contributing 6%. Primary agriculture and fishing employ 65,000 (2.1% of workforce), while processing and utilities employ 188,000 (6.3%).