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.
According to the data of the FSS carried out by Statistics Estonia in 2020, 11 369 agricultural holdings were registered in Estonia. The calculation of SOCs is based on the agricultural sector as a whole, which refers to the entire farm population and, thus, corresponds to the weighted average situation on the agricultural holdings in Estonia as an average.
3.7. Reference area
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 2020 this means that the Standard Output Coefficients required will be those calculated on the period of 5 years that spans from 2015 to 2019 (SOC2017)
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Statutes of the Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge, Regulation 50 of 23 September 2022, Minister of Rural Affairs, Entry into force 01 January 2023.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not requested for this reference year.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The SOCs are not confidential and published on METK website and in the yearbook.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
The SOCs are publicly available for everyone on METK website: there is an economic size and production type calculator (based on the latest available SOCs) that can be used by any agricultural holding.
8.1. Release calendar
There is no any release policy in place for the SOCs.
8.2. Release calendar access
There is no a separate public release of SOCs and pre-defined calendar
8.3. Release policy - user access
SOC coefficients publicly available as they are published on Eurobase.
SOC data are published on Eurobase under the “Ancillary data” page on Agriculture statistics. 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
The SOCs are published yearly in our FADN Farm Return in form of table showing the SOC code, type of production and SOC value at the end of year. In addition, on our company's website, there is an economic size and production type calculator (based on the latest available SOCs) that can be used by any agricultural holding.
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
The SOCs are published yearly in our FADN Farm Return in form of table showing the SOC code, type of production and SOC value at the end of year.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not requested for this reference year.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
The methodology is based on the RI/CC 1500 Typology Handbook.
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
SOCs are mainly used to calculate the typology (classify agricultural holdings by type of farming and by economic size) and to display the results of the FSS and the FADN. Therefore, it should ensure that the SOCs have been calculated with due care, that they are realistic and robust results. The METK takes great care to ensure the high level of data quality.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not requested for this reference year.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The standard output is used to classify agricultural holdings by type of farming and by economic size by Statistics Estonia and METK. In addition, the SOCs used by the Agricultural Registers and Information Board to calculate the economic size of agricultural holdings of certain production types (fruit, berry, nut, vegetable, grape, beef or horse breeding or beekeeping) within RDP measure “Support for young entrepreneurs starting agricultural activity”.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The main data users are METK and Statistics Estonia.
12.3. Completeness
SOCs are calculated for each land use and livestock characteristics in the FSS and IFS, unless the characteristic has a zero or low prevalence and no data is collected for it in the region concerned.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
SOCs are approved by the Statistics Estonia and calculated for each land use and livestock characteristics in the FSS i.e. data completeness rate is 100%.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The data submitted must be as reliable and accurate as possible and therefore very much attention is paid to data accuracy. Overall, the data submitted are calculated and verified with a high accuracy level.
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
Continuous methodological (e.g. if new or better data become available) are undertaken to mitigate non-sampling errors.
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
The submission of data takes place in accordance with the deadlines for data transmission following Annex VI of Regulation (EU) 2015/220.
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
The submission of data takes place in a timely manner so that the data validation and approval by Eurostat's EDAMIS will be executed successfully and in due time.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not requested for this reference year.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Estonia is considered as a single NUTS 2 level region, therefore the data transmitted corresponds to the weighted average situation on the agricultural holdings in Estonia as an average. The data are verified with the corresponding results from neighboring countries.
When the SOC are compared to those of neighbouring regions from other countries, it must be taken into account that:
The production structure of the agricultural sector in Estonia is significantly different compared to Latvia and Lithuania.
In Estonia, agricultural production is concentrated in the hands of large companies where production is very intensive.
According to FADN data, an average of 150,9 ha of agricultural land was used by an Estonian farmer in 2022, which is almost two times more than in Latvia and three times more than in Lithuania.
Based on the results of the 2020 agricultural census, 84% of Estonian agricultural production is produced by the largest agricultural producers who use more than two-thirds of the agricultural land. For instance, the milk yield (kg/cow) was in 2022, which is 39% higher compared to Latvia and 54% compared to Lithuania.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not requested for this reference year.
15.2. Comparability - over time
There have been few changes in time since the IFS_SOC 2017:
Bovine, sheep, cereal, fruits, pulses and fresh vegetables. The significant increase in SOC 2020 coefficients compared to SOC 2017 are mainly driven by significant increase in the sales prices of both crop and livestock products (on average 35% and 19%, respectively). In addition to this, crop yields and animal productivity were higher on average for the period 2018-2022 than on average for the period 2015-2019.
The significant decrease in SOCs of A5000X5100, A5210, A5220, A5230, A5240_5300 and A5410 is mainly due to changes in the structure of production, and as a result, keeping other poultry is now more extensive farming.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
There have been no changes in time series since the IFS_SOC 2017.
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.
There is no separate budget for calculating the SOCS, this is one of many duties that must be done with a certain periodicity. This work does involve a certain workload, but as it has already been taken into account, it does not pose a major problem.
17.1. Data revision - policy
After calculating the SOCs, the production type and economic size are calculated for the holdings in the FADN sample in order to compare the impact of the new SOCs on the sample structure.
17.2. Data revision - practice
The published data have not been revised. The published data may be revised if the methodology is modified, errors are discovered, new or better data become available.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not requested for this reference year.
18.1. Source data
Data source
Database
Price
Area
Yield
Total quantities produced
Number of livestock
Other information
Statistics Estonia
FSS
X
X
X
X
Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge
FADN
X
X
X
Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge
Gross margin calculation
X
X
X
X
Estonian Livestock Performance Recording Ltd
X
X
Agricultural Registers and Information Board
IACS
X
X
Agricultural advisors
X
X
18.2. Frequency of data collection
SOC data transmission occurs every 3 years
18.3. Data collection
Not requested for this reference year.
18.4. Data validation
The multi-level data validation process is used:
Comparison of former SOC values with previous SO data set
Comparison of SOC values with neighboring countries
Data approval by the Statistics Estonia
Final data verification and approval by Eurostat's EDAMIS web portal
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.
According to the data of the FSS carried out by Statistics Estonia in 2020, 11 369 agricultural holdings were registered in Estonia. The calculation of SOCs is based on the agricultural sector as a whole, which refers to the entire farm population and, thus, corresponds to the weighted average situation on the agricultural holdings in Estonia as an average.
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 2020 this means that the Standard Output Coefficients required will be those calculated on the period of 5 years that spans from 2015 to 2019 (SOC2017)
The data submitted must be as reliable and accurate as possible and therefore very much attention is paid to data accuracy. Overall, the data submitted are calculated and verified with a high accuracy level.
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.
Data source
Database
Price
Area
Yield
Total quantities produced
Number of livestock
Other information
Statistics Estonia
FSS
X
X
X
X
Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge
FADN
X
X
X
Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge
Gross margin calculation
X
X
X
X
Estonian Livestock Performance Recording Ltd
X
X
Agricultural Registers and Information Board
IACS
X
X
Agricultural advisors
X
X
SOC data are published on Eurobase under the “Ancillary data” page on Agriculture statistics. 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
The submission of data takes place in accordance with the deadlines for data transmission following Annex VI of Regulation (EU) 2015/220.
Estonia is considered as a single NUTS 2 level region, therefore the data transmitted corresponds to the weighted average situation on the agricultural holdings in Estonia as an average. The data are verified with the corresponding results from neighboring countries.
When the SOC are compared to those of neighbouring regions from other countries, it must be taken into account that:
The production structure of the agricultural sector in Estonia is significantly different compared to Latvia and Lithuania.
In Estonia, agricultural production is concentrated in the hands of large companies where production is very intensive.
According to FADN data, an average of 150,9 ha of agricultural land was used by an Estonian farmer in 2022, which is almost two times more than in Latvia and three times more than in Lithuania.
Based on the results of the 2020 agricultural census, 84% of Estonian agricultural production is produced by the largest agricultural producers who use more than two-thirds of the agricultural land. For instance, the milk yield (kg/cow) was in 2022, which is 39% higher compared to Latvia and 54% compared to Lithuania.
There have been few changes in time since the IFS_SOC 2017:
Bovine, sheep, cereal, fruits, pulses and fresh vegetables. The significant increase in SOC 2020 coefficients compared to SOC 2017 are mainly driven by significant increase in the sales prices of both crop and livestock products (on average 35% and 19%, respectively). In addition to this, crop yields and animal productivity were higher on average for the period 2018-2022 than on average for the period 2015-2019.
The significant decrease in SOCs of A5000X5100, A5210, A5220, A5230, A5240_5300 and A5410 is mainly due to changes in the structure of production, and as a result, keeping other poultry is now more extensive farming.
