Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
For more information, you can consult the Eurostat glossary page on the standard output.
3.2. Classification system
Data collected include information on the number of harvests, value, quantity and unit price corresponding to the standard output coefficients of a list of products, broken down by FADN region for each country (reference area). Such values are expressed in euro (and in national currency for countries out of euro area).
The list of products is based on the classifications of crop and livestock variables available in Annex III of Regulation (EU) 2018/1091.
The FADN regions refer to the Farm Accountancy Data Network divisions that are territories of a Member State, or any part thereof, delimited with a view to the selection of returning holdings. See Council Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 for more information.
The standard output coefficients are used to calculate the standard output of agricultural holdings and to classify agricultural holdings by type of farming and by economic size.The farm type is determined by the relative contribution of the different productions to the total standard output of the holding.
The standard output coefficient of an agricultural product (crop or livestock), abbreviated as SOC, is the average monetary value of the agricultural output at farm-gate price, in euro per hectare or per head of livestock.
Other concepts and definitions are presented in the Typology handbook (RI/CC 1500 rev 5) prepared by the Committee for the Farm Accountancy Data Network.
Standard Output Coefficients (SOC) are collected under the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), by FADN regions in each country. FADN regions are mapped with NUTS regions. For more information on NUTS regions, see the NUTS classification.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The SO 2004 was calculated using the average of 2003, 2004 and 2005 prices. It is applied in 2007 Farm structure survey data and has been applied to 2005 Farm structure survey to allow comparability over the time periods.
The SO 2007 was calculated using the average of 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 prices. It is applied in the 2010 Farm structure survey data.
The SO 2010 was calculated using the average of 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 prices. It is applied in the 2013 Farm structure survey data.
The SO 2013 was calculated using the average of 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 prices. It is applied in the 2016 Farm structure survey data.
The SO 2017 was calculated using the average of 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 prices. It is applied in the 2020 Farm structure survey data.
The SO 2020 was calculated using the average of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 prices. It is applied in the 2023 Farm structure survey data.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable
Units of measure utilised in the SOC data set are listed in the data transmission file to Eurostat by product. In general terms the used ones are EUR/100HEAD, EUR/100M2, EUR/HA, EUR/HEAD, EUR/HIVE.
Article 4 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1198/2014 states on the reference period for the standard output: “For the purposes of calculating standard outputs for the Union farm structure survey for year N, as referred to in Article 5b(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009, the reference period consists of the five successive years from year N-5 to year N-1. The standard outputs shall be determined using average basic data calculated over the reference period laid down in the first paragraph and commonly referred to as ‘N-3 standard outputs’. These N-3 standard outputs shall be updated to take account of economic trends at least each time a Union farm structure survey is carried out.”
For IFS 2023 this means that the Standard Output Coefficients required will be those calculated on the period of 5 years that spans from 2018 to 2022 (SOC2020).
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
State enterprise agricultural data center is a public institution assigned to be the EU FADN liaison agency and to be responsible for SO delivery to Eurostat (Order of the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania No. 3D-864, 17 December 2020).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not requested for this reference year.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
In accordance to the EU regulations on confidentiality.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Only aggregated data is available. Concerning SO coefficients – they are accessible to everyone.
8.1. Release calendar
Lithuanian Ministry of agriculture uses SO coefficients for some own purposes. Such actions / decisions of the ministry may be called as release policy.
8.2. Release calendar access
In annual Lithuanian FADN publication (every winter) we provide some statistics: farm typology as well as Lithuanian SO coefficients as the basis for typology calculation, etc.
We are obliged to deliver SO data to Lithuanian Statistics after its approval by Eurostat.
8.3. Release policy - user access
SO coefficients are accessible to everyone. Individuals and institutions may get data from the annual FADN publication and the Order of the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania No. 3D-382, 23 June 2014.
SOC data are published on Eurobase under the Additional data - Eurostat (europa.eu). The publication of the data normally takes place within N+1 year after the deadline for the data transmission. Nevertheless updates of the data can occur, triggered by DG Agri and Eurostat revision and post-validation checks.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Individuals and institutions may get data from the annual FADN publication and the Order of the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania No. 3D-382, 23 June 2014. Lithuanian accountancy offices involved in FADN survey have access to the online database.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Not requested for this reference year.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Not requested for this reference year.
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Not requested for this reference year.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Not requested for this reference year.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not requested for this reference year.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not requested for this reference year.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Not requested for this reference year.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not requested for this reference year.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not requested for this reference year.
11.1. Quality assurance
We use all possible data sources: Eurostat tables, data of Lithuanian statistics, FADN, direct surveys in the farms, expertise. We handle extreme cases with additional investigation /expertise.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not requested for this reference year.
Unfortunately, Lithuanian users do not have too much knowledge about the EU SO calculation methodology. Quite often their needs contradict to it.
Ministry of agriculture has much longer list of products to calculate SO. Sometimes it is difficult to implement their wishes – if in population we have very few farms with product in demand.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
In Lithuania, SOC is used not only for statistical purposes, but also for the calculation of subsidies for investments. For this purpose, the Ministry of Agriculture of Lithuania uses not only the SOC calculated for FADN purposes, but a much longer list of products. These additional SOCs are often difficult to calculate due to the lack of information and the small number of farms engaged in the cultivation of these products.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Since SOC is also used in Lithuania to calculate the economic size of the farm in order to receive subsidies for investments, sometimes farmers are not satisfied with the SO coefficients, which, in their opinion, are too small.
12.3. Completeness
In general, we are content with existing list of SO products.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
85%
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Most of the indicators can be considered accurate as there is sufficient regional data on farm-gate price and yield. Data on different types of berries have increased compared to the previous calculation, but for now there is a lack of data on the yield of sea buckthorn, which makes up a significant part of berry production in Lithuania. For this and several other indicators (Christmas trees, sunflowers, fiber flax), which are rarer and/or for which regional data are not collected, expert evaluation had to be used.
13.2. Sampling error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not requested for this reference year.
14.1. Timeliness
We follow timeliness indications from Eurostat.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not requested for this reference year.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not requested for this reference year.
14.2. Punctuality
We follow timeliness indications from Eurostat.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not requested for this reference year.
Lithuania is one FADN and one SO region. Considering that the number of farms is constantly decreasing, changing the number of regions would not be reasonable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The data are comparable with data from all European countries that calculate standard production.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not requested for this reference year.
15.2. Comparability - over time
See sub-category below.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
SO2020 SOCs are comparable with SO2010, SO2013 and SO2017.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not requested for this reference year.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not requested for this reference year.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not requested for this reference year.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Not requested for this reference year.
SOCs are calculated using data from public and FADN databases therefore it is difficult to measure the cost and there is no direct burden on respondents.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The four eyes principle is used in data collection.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Data collected in previous years is checked in the year of calculation as sometimes corrections are made after time. Results are discussed and debated within the FADN group before submission. In the year of SOC approval, comments and requests from Eurostat are received to explain changes in specific SOCs.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not requested for this reference year.
SOC data transmission occurs every 3 or 4 years.
18.1. Source data
All possible data sources: Eurostat tables, data of Lithuanian statistics, FADN, direct surveys in the farms, expertise.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data is collected annually, but special attention is paid and collected data is reviewed in the year of SOC submission.
18.3. Data collection
Most of the information comes from other databases. Surveys of primary sources are conducted in very rare cases when official data sources are lacking. FADN data is collected in accordance with FADN regulations.
For more information, you can consult the Eurostat glossary page on the standard output.
19 February 2024
The standard output coefficient of an agricultural product (crop or livestock), abbreviated as SOC, is the average monetary value of the agricultural output at farm-gate price, in euro per hectare or per head of livestock.
Other concepts and definitions are presented in the Typology handbook (RI/CC 1500 rev 5) prepared by the Committee for the Farm Accountancy Data Network.
Standard Output Coefficients (SOC) are collected under the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), by FADN regions in each country. FADN regions are mapped with NUTS regions. For more information on NUTS regions, see the NUTS classification.
Article 4 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1198/2014 states on the reference period for the standard output: “For the purposes of calculating standard outputs for the Union farm structure survey for year N, as referred to in Article 5b(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009, the reference period consists of the five successive years from year N-5 to year N-1. The standard outputs shall be determined using average basic data calculated over the reference period laid down in the first paragraph and commonly referred to as ‘N-3 standard outputs’. These N-3 standard outputs shall be updated to take account of economic trends at least each time a Union farm structure survey is carried out.”
For IFS 2023 this means that the Standard Output Coefficients required will be those calculated on the period of 5 years that spans from 2018 to 2022 (SOC2020).
Most of the indicators can be considered accurate as there is sufficient regional data on farm-gate price and yield. Data on different types of berries have increased compared to the previous calculation, but for now there is a lack of data on the yield of sea buckthorn, which makes up a significant part of berry production in Lithuania. For this and several other indicators (Christmas trees, sunflowers, fiber flax), which are rarer and/or for which regional data are not collected, expert evaluation had to be used.
Units of measure utilised in the SOC data set are listed in the data transmission file to Eurostat by product. In general terms the used ones are EUR/100HEAD, EUR/100M2, EUR/HA, EUR/HEAD, EUR/HIVE.
Not requested for this reference year.
All possible data sources: Eurostat tables, data of Lithuanian statistics, FADN, direct surveys in the farms, expertise.
SOC data are published on Eurobase under the Additional data - Eurostat (europa.eu). The publication of the data normally takes place within N+1 year after the deadline for the data transmission. Nevertheless updates of the data can occur, triggered by DG Agri and Eurostat revision and post-validation checks.
We follow timeliness indications from Eurostat.
The data are comparable with data from all European countries that calculate standard production.
