Czech Statistical Office 

Agricultural and Forestry, Industrial, Construction, and Energy Statistics Department

Czech Statistical Office

Agricultural, Forestry, Industrial, Construction, and Energy Statistics Department

Na padesátém 81

CZ-100 82 Praha 10

Czech Republic

The data describe the structure of agricultural holdings providing the general characteristics of farms and farmers and information on their land, livestock and labour force.  They also describe production methods, rural development measures and agro-environmental aspects that look at the impact of agriculture on the environment.

The data are used by public, researchers, farmers and policy-makers to better understand the state of the farming sector and the impact of agriculture on the environment. The data follow up the changes in the agricultural sector and provide a basis for decision-making in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and other European Union policies.

The statistical unit is the agricultural holding (farm). The aggregated results are disseminated through statistical tables. The data are presented at different geographical levels and over periods.
The data collections are organised in line with Regulation (EU) 2018/1091 and have a new structure, consisting of a core data set and several modules. The regulation covers the data collections in 2020 (the agricultural census), 2023 and 2026. The data are as comparable and coherent as possible with the other European countries.

Data are arranged in tables using many classifications. Please find below information on most classifications.

The classifications of variables are available in Annex III of Regulation (EU) 2018/1091 and in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1874.

The farm typology means a uniform classification of the holdings based on their type of farming and their economic size. Both are determined on the basis of the standard gross margin (SGM) (until 2007) or standard output (SO) (from 2010 onward) which is calculated for each crop and animal. The farm type is determined by the relative contribution of the different productions to the total standard gross margin or the standard output of the holding.

The territorial classification uses the NUTS classification to break down the regional data. The regional data is available at NUTS level 2.

The statistics cover agricultural holdings undertaking agricultural activities as listed in item 3.5 below and meeting the minimum coverage requirements (thresholds) as listed in item 3.6 below.

The list of core variables is set in Annex III of Regulation (EU) 2018/1091.

The descriptions of the core variables as well as the lists and descriptions of the variables for the modules collected in 2020 are set in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1874.

The following groups of variables are collected in 2020:

• for core: location of the holding, legal personality of the holding, manager, type of tenure of the utilised agricultural area, variables of land, organic farming, irrigation on cultivated outdoor area, variables of livestock, organic production methods applied to animal production;
• for the module "Labour force and other gainful activities": farm management, family labour force, non-family labour force, other gainful activities directly and not directly related to the agricultural holding;
• for the module "Rural development": support received by agricultural holdings through various rural development measures;
• for the module "Animal housing and rural development module":  animal housing, nutrient use and manure on the farm, manure application techniques, facilities for manure.

See sub-category below.

The agricultural holding is a single unit, both technically and economically, that has a single management and that undertakes economic activities in agriculture in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006 belonging to groups:

- A.01.1: Growing of non-perennial crops

- A.01.2: Growing of perennial crops

- A.01.3: Plant propagation

- A.01.4: Animal production

- A.01.5: Mixed farming or

- The “maintenance of agricultural land in good agricultural and environmental condition” of group A.01.6 within the economic territory of the Union, either as its primary or secondary activity.

Regarding activities of class A.01.49, only the activities “Raising and breeding of semi-domesticated or other live animals” (with the exception of raising of insects) and “Bee-keeping and production of honey and beeswax” are included.

See sub-categories below.

The thresholds of agricultural holdings are available in the annex.

The same population of agricultural holdings defined in item 3.6.1.

The above answer holds for the modules ‘Labour force and other gainful activities’ and ‘Rural development’. The module ‘Machinery and equipment’ is not collected in 2020.

The subset of the population of agricultural holdings defined in item 3.6.2 with at least one of the following: bovine animals, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry.

See sub-categories below.

The entire territory of the country.

Not applicable.

Geographical coordinates of the land parcel (registered in LPIS): 22 664 holdings (78.4%);

geographical coordinates of the address point of the holding: 6 616 holdings (22.9%);

geographical coordinates of the Territorial Technical Unit¹⁾ where the most important parcel is placed: 79 holdings (0.3%);

¹⁾ A Territorial Technical Unit is a unit defined as cadastral territory or part of cadastral territory separated by the border of a basic settlement unit, i.e. by the border of a municipality, city district or city part. A municipality (LAU2) consists of one or more Territorial Technical Units.

Farm structure statistics in our country cover the period from 2000 onwards. Older time series are described in the previous quality reports (national methodological reports).

The 2020 data are processed (by Eurostat) with 2017 standard output coefficients (calculated as a 5-year average of the period 2015-2019). For more information, you can consult the definition of the standard output.

Two kinds of units are generally used:

• the units of measurement for the variables (area in hectares, livestock in (1000) heads or LSU (livestock units), labour force in persons or AWU (annual working units), standard output in Euro, places for animal housing etc.) and
• the number of agricultural holdings having these characteristics.

See sub-categories below.

The use of land refers to the 12-month reference period ending on 30 September 2020. In the case of successive crops from the same piece of land, the land use refers to a crop that is harvested during the reference year, regardless of when the crop in question is sown.

The 12-month period ending on 30 September 2020.

The reference day 30 September 2020.

The 12-month period ending on 30 September 2020. This period includes the reference day used for livestock and animal housing.

The 12-month period ending on 30 September 2020.

The three-year period ending on 31 December 2020.

The reference day 30 September 2020.

See sub-categories below.

Act No. 89/1995 Coll., on the State Statistical Service, as amended.

See the URL link: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/full_wording_of_act_no_89_1995_coll_on_the_state_statistical_service

1995

Variables on Rural Development Measures were obtained from the State Agricultural Intervention Fund.

According to Act No 89/1995 Coll., par. 9, authorities performing the State Statistical Service use data acquired or collected by Ministries and other administrative authorities under special Acts. Ministries and other administrative authorities are bound to provide them with the necessary data on their request on time and free of charge unless otherwise stated by this Act.

Act No 89/1995 Coll., par. 16: Employees of bodies carrying out the State Statistical Service or persons processing statistical surveys or collecting data for agricultural censuses shall be subject to secrecy of confidential data they have knowledge of. To this end, they must be sworn to secrecy upon entering their employment or before they start the relevant work.

See sub-categories below.

See sub-categories below.

The rules for providing data by the CZSO to third parties are based on national and EU legislation, especially on the Act No. 89/1995 Coll., on the State Statistical Service, as amended.

Data confidentiality during dissemination is ensured by internal directive of the CZSO which states that statistical information can be released in case it is produced as an aggregation of at least three subjects. Furthermore, sum of shares for the two greatest individual values cannot exceed 85 % of the total aggregation. In case of exceeding this value the data are treated as confidential. Aggregation on a superior level must be done or another solution must be applied. The data can be released or provided to a third party on a contractual basis if the dominant subject provides a written approval to the CZSO.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable.

IFS data publications (on national and regional level) are included in the Catalogue of Products of the CZSO, which includes all publications of the CZSO and is publicly available. The release schedule is laid down usually in the year preceding the year of publication.

The analytical evaluation of the IFS results is usually not included in the Catalogue of Products in advance and it is added there only shortly before its release (its finalisation is difficult to predict as the analysis of the results is time-consuming and requires the cooperation of external experts).

See the URL link: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/catalogue-of-products

The release policy of the CZSO is laid down by Act No 89/1995 Sb, on the State Statistical Service, par. 18.

There are no deviations from the general policy of the CZSO for IFS data.

Not applicable.

Every 3-4 years (depending on the survey frequency).

See sub-categories below.

See the URL link: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/zemedelstvi-se-koncentruje-do-vetsich-podniku-ubylo-chovatelu-hospodarskych-zvirat

See sub-categories below.

Integrated Farm Survey – 2020; CZSO, 2021; see the URL link: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/integrated-farm-survey-2020

Integrated Farm Survey – regions – 2020; CZSO, 2021; see the URL link: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/integrated-farm-survey-regions-2020

Integrated Farm Survey – analytical evaluation – 2020; CZSO, 2022; see the URL link: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/integrated-farm-survey-analytical-evaluation-2020

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable

Not applicable.

See sub-category below.

The CZSO provides “tailor-made” aggregations for research purposes if necessary.

Not requested.

See sub-categories below.

Not requested.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

CZSO Quality Commitment: see the URL link: https://www.czso.cz/documents/10180/23183847/quality_commitment.pdf/849dd6f1-d50d-4474-bb6c-79000e38c664?version=1.0

Quality policy of the CZSO: see the URL link: https://www.czso.cz/documents/10180/23183847/quality_policy_en.pdf/01cf4a5e-42b8-4e82-b1ad-2e9f243e7c90?version=1.0

See sub-categories below.

The quality management system of the CZSO is described in the documents CZSO Quality Commitment and Quality policy of the CZSO (see item 10.7 for links).

Irregular external audits carried out by expert group comprising of internal and external experts are conducted for all statistical domains under the responsibility of the CZSO.

No ongoing or planned procedures at the moment.

The IFS data are provided in accordance with all legal regulations and recommendations.

Main users: Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Economy and Information, Research Institute of Agricultural Engineering, and other relevant institutions; Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic and other professional organisations; university researchers and students; journalists.

Main groups of variables needed: cannot be specified.

Purposes: further analyses of the IFS results, forming of national agricultural policies, scientific purposes, informing the public.

None; only variables requested by Regulation 2018/1091 were collected in IFS2020.

Unknown

None at the moment.

No procedures to measure user satisfaction were used.

Not applicable.

Information on low- and zero prevalence variable is available on Eurostat's website.

Not applicable for Integrated Farm Statistics as the not collected variables, not-significant variables and not-existent variables are completed with 0.

See categories below.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable.

The core and module data were obtained in a census (see items 18.1.2.1, 18.1.4.1, 18.1.5.1, and 18.1.6.1).

No frame extension was applied (see item 18.1.3.1).

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

See sub-categories below.

The over-coverage rate is available in the annex. The over-coverage rate is unweighted.
The over-coverage rate is calculated as the share of ineligible holdings to the holdings designated for the core data collection. The ineligible holdings include those holdings with unknown eligibility status that are not imputed nor re-weighted for (therefore considered ineligible).
The over-coverage rate is calculated over the holdings in the main frame and if applicable frame extension, for which core data are sent to Eurostat. 

Not available.

Not requested.

See sub-categories below.

In total 662 holdings (2.3%), which were not included in the population, were found during the survey and added to the population.

Update of the Farm Register immediately before the survey; inclusion of newly found holdings in the population.

Not available.

Not applicable as IFS 2020 was conducted as a census.

Call-back strategies; written/telephone reminders; follow-up interviews with respondents who have completed the questionnaires only partly.

See sub-categories below.

The questionnaire used in IFS 2020 was very similar to one used in former FSSs so the risk that the respondents did not correctly understand the questions was minimised.

Not available.

See sub-categories below.

The unit non-response rate is in the annex of item 13.3.1.1. The unit non-response rate is unweighted.
The unit non-response rate is calculated as the share of eligible non-respondent holdings to the eligible holdings.  The eligible holdings include those holdings with unknown eligibility status which are imputed or re-weighted for (therefore considered eligible).
The unit non-response rate is calculated over the holdings in the main frame and if applicable frame extension, for which core data are sent to Eurostat.

Non-response analysis was not carried out.

All incomplete questionnaires were completed in follow-up interviews → the final item non-response is 0.0%.

Generally, variables on OGA are the most difficult for respondents despite our efforts to improve the methodology. Some difficulties concern also newly introduced variables.

Not available.

See sub-categories below.

Preliminary data validation using Eurostat check rules.

Tools used: Dante software.

Staff involved: CZSO regional staff at Field Survey Units, staff of the Unit for Processing of Agricultural and Forestry Indicators in Kind, and staff of the Agricultural and Forestry Statistics Unit.

Not available.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

Day of the first publication of results: 21 September 2021

Time lag = 9 months (264 days) from 31 December 2020

First results = final results; i.e. time lag = 9 months from 31 December 2020 (see point 14.1.1)

See sub-categories below.

See sub-categories below.

Not requested.

21 days delay between the target date (31 August) and the actual publication date (21 September)

It was caused by postponing the press conference announcing the IFS results due to the CZSO management decision; according to the CZSO internal rules, the date of publication and the date of the press conference must be the same.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable, because there are no mirror flows in Integrated Farm Statistics.

See sub-categories below.

CZ collected, sent to Eurostat, and published data on agricultural holdings with the same definition as in Regulation (EU) 2018/1091.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

The applied thresholds were the same as the EU Regulation thresholds (see items 3.6.1.1. and 3.6.1.2 and the title page of the questionnaire attached in item 18.3.3).

The thresholds applied for the national data collection are the same as the thresholds applied for the data sent to Eurostat.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

• EU handbook: hop is included in crops grown on arable land.

National level: hop-gardens are reported as permanent crops.

• EU definition: nurseries are included in permanent crops.

National level: nurseries are reported as crops grown on arable land.

• EU handbook: trees and bushes grown for use for energy production only are included in wooded area (of which short rotation coppices).

National level: they are included in other permanent crops (of which short rotation coppices), i.e. they represent a part of the utilised agricultural area.

• EU handbook: turnip rape is included in rape.

National level: turnip rape is included in other oil crops.

• EU handbook: corn-cob-mix is included in grain maize.

National level: corn-cob-mix are included in green and silage maize.

• EU handbook: irrigated area are excluded from the area under cover.

National level: irrigable and irrigated area includes irrigated area of glasshouses, plastic houses, and areas under high accessible cover.

• EU handbook: topics on manure management include only holdings described in item 3.6.3.

National level: they include all agricultural holdings.

The information is available in the annex. 
The number of working hours and days in a year for a full-time job correspond to one annual working unit (AWU) in the country. One annual work unit corresponds to the work performed by one person who is occupied on an agricultural holding on a full-time basis. Annual working units are used to calculate the farm work on the agricultural holdings.

The information is available in the annex of item 15.1.4.1.1. 

The information is available in the annex of item 15.1.4.1.1. 

LSU coefficients are the same as in Regulation 2018/1091.

There are no differences from the EU handbook.

Different national methodology for variables reported under 15.1.4.1. is given by the Law No 252/1997 Coll., on agriculture, as amended, or by subsidiary legal acts, and/or by further requirements of national users.

However, the national methodology is used only for data publication on national level; the data sent to Eurostat are always recalculated/reclassified in order to be fully compliant with the EU methodology.

See sub-categories below.

The reference periods/days are the same as in Regulation (EU) 2018/1091.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

There are no differences from Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007.

Not applicable.

There are no differences across regions.

See sub-categories below.

1

See sub-categories below.

Regulation (EU) 2018/1091 newly considers agricultural holdings with only fur animals. However, our country does not raise fur animals.

See sub-categories below.

Raised thresholds: none

Lowered thresholds: fruit trees, berries, nut trees, citrus fruit trees, other permanent crops excluding nurseries, vineyards and olive trees

New thresholds: arable land; potatoes; aromatic, medicinal and culinary plants; flowers and ornamental plants, seeds and seedlings, nurseries; cultivated mushrooms

Changed approach: livestock in LSU instead of heads of animals in particular categories

The impact of the changes of thresholds on the main variables was not yet evaluated. We do not intend to compare FSS 2016 and IFS 2020 data but we use FSS 2000 data recalculated using the IFS 2020 thresholds for comparisons.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

Legal personality of the agricultural holding

In IFS, there is a new class (“shared ownership”) for the legal personality of the holding compared to FSS 2016, which trigger fluctuations of holdings in the classes of sole holder holdings and group holdings.

Other livestock n.e.c.

In FSS 2016, deer were included in this class, but in IFS, they are classified separately.

Also in FSS 2016, there was a class for the collection of equidae. That has been dropped and equidae are included in IFS in "other livestock n.e.c."

Livestock units

In FSS 2016, turkeys, ducks, geese, ostriches and other poultry were considered each one in a separate class with a coefficient of 0.03 for all the classes except for ostriches (coefficient 0.035). In IFS 2020, the coefficients were adjusted accordingly, with turkeys remaining at 0.03, ostriches remaining at 0.35, ducks adjusted to 0.01, geese adjusted to 0.02 and other poultry fowls n.e.c. adjusted to 0.001.

Organic animals

While in FSS only fully compliant (certified converted) animals were included, in IFS both animals under conversion and fully converted are to be included.

Areas designated as facing natural constraints under Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013

In FSS 2016, the classification of ANC was given by Government Regulation No 72/2015. As for IFS 2020, their classification has been changed by Government Regulation No 43/2018.  

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable.

By observing the holdings breakdown by SO_EUR classes, It is recorded an increase of share of lower SO_EUR classes (below 3) in 2020, compared to 2016; a probable reason for the increase of share of lower classes could be lower threshold values for IFS 2020 compared to FSS 2016.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable to Integrated Farm Statistics, because there are no sub annual data collections in agriculture.

Not applicable, because Integrated Farm Statistics have no relevance for national accounts.

See sub-categories below.

No analysis of coherence at micro level was conducted due to lack of time and human resources.

See sub-categories below.

Discrepancies between domains are caused mainly by different survey designs (census and survey) and different thresholds used. Differences in of allocation of holdings to NUTS2 regions in IFS and APRO (due to grossing-up procedures in APRO) may occur and contribute to the discrepancies as well.in 2020 variations between IFS and Animal statistics were recorded for A3100 and A2000. The difference between domains is caused by 

The data are internally consistent. This is ensured by the application of a wide range of validation rules.

See sub-categories below.

Data from annual Areas under crops survey and annual Livestock survey were used in IFS 2020 for respondents included in both IFS and aforementioned surveys.

Lowered burden for respondents included in both IFS and Areas under crops survey and/or Livestock survey.

See sub-categories below.

Not available.

Not available.

Not relevant (administrative data source).

Not available.

General revision policy of the CZSO is described in the document CZSO Data Revision Policy; see the URL link: https://www.czso.cz/documents/10180/23183847/czso_data_revision_policy_2020_en.pdf/e1e4ed71-bba5-4aaa-a313-9ee17b4d2922?version=1.3

The IFS data are final when first released and are not subject to revision.

There are no revisions to report for IFS 2020.

Not requested.

See sub-categories below.

See sub-categories below.

Farm Register

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable for 2019/2020.

Not applicable for 2019/2020.

Not applicable for 2019/2020.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

See sub-categories below.

The information is available on Eurostat's website.

See the attached Excel file in the Annex.

The information on innovative approaches and the quality methods applied is available on Eurostat's website.

The agricultural census is conducted every 10 years.  The decennial agricultural census is complemented by sample or census-based data collections organised every 3-4 years in-between.

See sub-categories below.

Please find the questionnaires (CZ and EN) in annexes.

See sub-categories below.

Step 1: Internal check rules (including linkages between inter-related parts of the questionnaire);

Step 2: Validation rules developed by Eurostat (Integrated Farm Statistics Manual. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2020; Annex V.).

All core as well as module data in IFS 2020 were collected as a census.

Therefore, no design weights were used for data compilation.

Methods of data imputation used for non-responding units are listed in the item 13.3.4.2.

Covered under Data compilation.

Not applicable to Integrated Farm Statistics, because it collects structural data on agriculture.

See sub-categories below.

APRO - Annual Crop Statistics

CAP – Common Agricultural Policy

CAPI – Computer Assisted Personal Interview

CATI – Computer Assisted Telephone Interview

CAWI – Computer Assisted Web Interview

CZSO – Czech Statistical Office

EC – European Community      

EU – European Union

EUROSTAT – Statistical Office of the European Communities

FAO – Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations

FSS – Farm Structure Survey

IACS – Integrated Administration and Control System

IFS – Integrated Farm Statistics

LPIS – Land Parcel Information System

LSU – Livestock units

NACE – Nomenclature of Economic Activities

NUTS – Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics

PAPI – Paper and Pencil Interview

PDC – Postal data collection

RDM – Rural Development Measures

SO – Standard output

UAA – Utilised agricultural area

No additional comments.