National Statistics Office (NSO)

Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries Statistics Unit

See sub-categories below.

The data set comprises the quantity of actives substances contained in plant protection products used on selected crops for a chosen year in a five-year period and the area treated with each of these substances, according to the Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/269 of 16 February 2017 as regards the list of active substances.

The reference period was the crop year 2018/2019 for the data collection carried out in the last quarter of 2019. 

There is not any national legislation regarding the use of plant protection products

Not applicable see section 2.1.3.1

Not applicable see section 2.1.3.1

Not applicable see section 2.1.3.1

Not applicable see section 2.1.3.1

Not applicable see section 2.1.3.1

No addional comments

The classification used for pesticides corresponds to Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 (http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1185/2017-03-09) of the European Parliament and of the Council.
The classification system for crops derives from the Annual crop statistics Handbook 2019 (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/metadata/Annexes/apro_cp_esms_an1.pdf).

Agriculture is the main sector covered by the data set.

The selected crops are the main crops that are sprayed with pesticides in Malta. Such information has been compiled from similar surveys carried out in the past. Agricultural crops with a low intensity of usage such as fodder and potatoes were surveyed, as these are the most commonly grown. Crops with a low-intensity usage, a low coverage area, or a few agricultural holdings, such as plums, were excluded as the overall impact of PPP use would be negligible. Certain types of crops were grouped in order to obtain the coverage of the UAA of the holding although PPP usage was not asked for. A case in point is where, for example, a farmer simultaneously cultivated green beans and peas. These were grouped together under a code for other vegetables.

See the attached Excel file in the Annexes.

Information on the commercial non-agricultural use of pesticides is not available.

The data reported are the quantity of each active substance listed in Annex III of Regulation 1185/2009 contained in plant protection products used on a selected crop, expressed in kg. The area treated with each substance is expressed in hectares.

Agricultural holding

Agricultural holdings with a total area of 0.224ha or more. 

See sub-categories below.

The entire territory of the country.

This is not applicable to Malta.

Pesticides use has been collected in a consistent manner in 2005, 2007, 2014, and 2019.  In view of this, the data can be considered to be comparable.

Not applicable for Pesticide Use Statistics, because it is not based on an index number of time series.

See the attached Excel file in the Annexes.

The survey was carried out in 2019 and covered the crop year 2018/2019.  Similar surveys were carried out in 2005, 2007, and 2014.

See the attached Excel file in the Annexes.

Data were immediately vetted after the interviewing stage. Emphasis was placed on the interviewers to report back to the NSO after the first five completed questionnaires in order to monitor the data collected by the interviewer. Any errors made by the interviewer were corrected at once with the interviewer so that successive errors would not be repeated. In certain cases, where NSO vetters could not correct the data, the questionnaire was sent back to the interviewer, who had to contact the farmer for verification of the data or correction of the data. 

During the interviewing stage, an excel application including a number of validations has been developed by the Unit. This has been used by the interviewer to input the data collected from the farmer and then this was provided to the Unit.

Not applicable

A stratified sample survey is used; the stratification is based on the size, and specialization of the agricultural holdings. 

There was no imputation. Non-response is very low because the agricultural holdings have an obligation to provide information to the National Statistics Office.

The total amount of kilograms and/or litres used of every product is collected from the farmer. Then by using the composition in weight, the total amount of active substance used for each crop is compiled. Then, the data are aggregated into the categories as stipulated in Annex III of Regulation 1185/2009. 

This is not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable.

Not applicable

Not applicable

No additional comments

The data covers the whole country and is collected by applying high standards in compliance with the methodological guidelines and ensuring a high degree of comparability.

No additional comments

The national user of the data is mainly the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) who is responsible for the National Action Plan regarding the sustainable use of pesticides. 

Not available.

Not available.

No more comments

No survey on customer satisfaction on the topic.

Not applicable

No additional comments

See sub-category below.

Not applicable for Pesticide Use Statistics because in this data collection, there is no target on the number of data. Member States are asked to collect data on representative crops without stipulating the number of crops.

The accuracy of the results is considered to be sufficient especially from the perspective of current use. An improvement can be only achieved by an increase in the sample size or by enforcement on the farmers to provide the records of the use of pesticides kept according to Regulation 1107/2009 to the competent authority and in return, such data is shared with the Office. 

Small sample size and agricultural diversity

No other relevant information

See the attached Excel file in the Annexes.

See sub-categories below.

See the attached Excel file in the Annexes.

See the attached Excel file in the Annexes.

See the attached Excel file in the Annexes.

See the attached Excel file in the Annexes.

Not applicable

Seasonal adjustment is not applicable to pesticide use statistics since all plant protection treatments associated directly or indirectly with the crop during the reference period are reported.

At the NSO, there is currently no internal policy governing revisions that occur for all statistics produced. Nonetheless, a revisions policy is being drafted to safeguard a coordinated revisions system across statistical domains. This policy will take account of the need and causes for revisions; time and frequency of revisions; data and other statistical products affected by such revisions; and length of periods revised.

There have been no revisions yet.

Not applicable

Not applicable

No additional comments to make.

See sub-categories below.

15 months

15 months

See sub-categories below.

There was a delay of 90 days in the delivery of such data.

The delay of the data delivery was due to the priority given to the Census of Agriculture that has been carried out in the last quarter of 2020. Another reason was due to the limited number of human resources available in the Unit. 

Data are collected on a country level (NUTS 0). Therefore, the data are not comparable on a regional level. The geographical comparability between countries is evaluated by Eurostat.

Not applicable, because there are no mirror flows in Pesticide Use Statistics.

Not applicable for Pesticide Use Statistics, because it is not based on time series.

Not applicable for Pesticide Use Statistics, because it is not based on time series.

Data can be indirectly compared to the amount of active substance sold.

Not applicable for Pesticide Use Statistics, because the data collection is based on a five-year period.

Not applicable, because it has no relevance for national accounts.

A good internal coherence of the data was ensured due to the harmonised classification of pesticides and crops.

No news release was published

No news release has been published.

No publication was published

Data is not available on-line

Not applicable

Not applicable.

Fully anonymised micro-data may also be made available by NSO to accredited researchers upon request as specified on the NSO website.

Further information on access to microdata can be accessed through:

https://nso.gov.mt/en/Services/Microdata/Pages/Access-to-Microdata.aspx

Further information on access to microdata can be accessed through:

https://nso.gov.mt/en/Services/Microdata/Pages/Access-to-Microdata.aspx

Not applicable

Work processes and procedures for the compilation of the Pesticides Use Survey are documented and the report is only available internally.

Not available

Not available

Not available.

Not available

Not available

Not available.

Not available

During 2019, besides the Pesticides Use Survey there was also the FADN (which is carried out by the Agriculture Rural Payment Agency).  The pesticide use survey was conducted after the FADN survey and therefore there were farmers that were interviewed for both surveys in a couple of months.

Being a small country, there are certain farmers who are contacted several times a year to provide information on agriculture, business, other items outside statistics.  With surveys like PPP use, which are quite complicated, this can result in farmers refusing to take part in other surveys.  A major problem is faced when a large farmer does not want to take part in the interview.  Fortunately, in the survey carried out in 2019, there were no refusals.

Apart from cost constraints, we are also facing human resource problems.  Such surveys required skilled human resources, which in many cases, national statistical institutions do not have.

Not available

Not applicable.

At the National level:

The NSO requests information for the compilation of official statistics according to the articles of the Malta Statistics Authority (MSA) Act – Cap. 422 (https://legislation.mt/eli/cap/422/eng/pdf) and the Data Protection Act – Cap. 586 (https://legislation.mt/eli/cap/586/eng/pdf) of the Laws of Malta implementing the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

Article 40 of the MSA Act stipulates the restrictions on the use of information while Article 41 stipulates the prohibition of disclosure of information. Furthermore, Section IX of the Act (Offences and Penalties) lays down the measures to be taken in case of unlawful exercise of any officer of statistics regarding confidentiality of data.

Since its inception, the NSO has always assured that all data collected remains confidential and that it is used for statistical purposes only according to the articles and derogations stipulated in the laws quoted above. The Office is obliged to protect the identity of data providers and refrain from divulging any data to third parties that might lead to the identification of persons or entities.

During 2009, the NSO has set up a Statistical Disclosure Committee to ensure that statistical confidentiality is observed, especially when requests for microdata are received.

Upon employment, all NSO employees are informed of the rules and duties pertaining to confidential information and its treatment. In line with stipulations of the MSA Act, before commencing work, every employee is required to take an oath of secrecy whose text is included in the same Act.

An internal policy on anonymisation and pseudo-anonymisation is in place to ascertain that adequate methods are used for the protection of data that the office collects and shares with the public in its capacity as the National Statistics Office. The policy is meant to safeguard the confidentiality of both personal and business data entrusted to the NSO. The document provides guidance for all NSO employees who process data on a daily basis as to how anonymisation and pseudo-anonymisation methods should be applied. The policy applies to all confidential, restricted and internal information, regardless of form (paper or electronic documents, applications, and databases) that is received, processed, stored, and disseminated by the NSO.

If an active substance has been flagged as confidential in the annual compilation related to sales of plant protection products, then it has been flagged also as confidential for the use survey.

See section 11.2

No additional comments.

No other comments