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.
The collected statistics for the country cover the following data:
Certified registered organic operators (referring to their main or secondary activity) (expressed in number of operators)
Certified registered organic processors who manufacture organic products (as their main or secondary activity) (expressed in number of processors)
Certified organic crop area (under conversion and fully converted) (expressed in hectares)
Certified organic crop production from fully converted area (expressed in 1 000 kg)
Certified organic livestock (expressed in heads of live animals)
Production of certified organic products of animalorigin (expressed in 1 000 kg of carcass weight and in thousand eggs)
Production of certified organic milk products (Produced on farms or Processed on farms or by dairy enterprises) and Honey and products of bee-keeping (expressed in 1 000 kg of products obtained)
Certified organic aquaculture sold by producers (expressed in 1 000 kg live weight)
Organic production statistics in our country cover the period from 2013 onwards.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Certified registered organic operators (referring to their main or secondary activity) (expressed in number of operators)
Certified registered organic processors who manufacture organic products (as their main or secondary activity) (expressed in number of processors)
Certified organic croparea (under conversion and fully converted) (expressed in hectares)
Certified organic cropproduction from fully converted area (expressed in 1 000 kg)
Certified organic livestock (expressed in heads of live animals)
Production of certified organic products of animal origin (expressed in 1 000 kg of carcass weight and in thousand eggs)
Production of certified organic milk products (Produced on farms or Processed on farms or by dairy enterprises) and Honey and products of bee-keeping (expressed in 1 000 kg of products obtained)
Certified organic aquaculture sold by producers (expressed in 1 000 kg live weight)
Reference year 2022. Number of certified organic livestock (expressed in heads of live animals) as at year end (31.12.2022).
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Order No 30 of the Government of the Republic of 7 February 2022, "List of Statistical Activities of Statistics Estonia for 2022–2026" (https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/309022022001, in Estonian).
Statistics Estonia is responsible for the production of official statistics. The data for organic production statistics are received from the Agriculture and Food Board who is responsible for keeping the organic farming register and collects the relevant data.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Statistics Estonia is responsible for the production of official statistics. The data for organic production statistics are received from the Agriculture and Food Board who is responsible for keeping the organic farming register and collects the relevant data.
Subsection 28 (4) of Official Statistics Act: At the request of a producer of official statistics, controllers of databases shall submit the data collected in the administrative records and databases specified in subsection 29 (1) of this Act.
Section 29 of Official Statistics Act. Use of administrative records and databases
(1) Upon the performance of statistical activities, a producer of official statistics shall primarily use data collected in administrative records and databases as well as data generated or collected in the course of the activities of state and local government authorities, legal persons in public law and private law, if such data allow the performance of statistical activities complying with the quality criteria of official statistics.
(2) A producer of official statistics has the right to make proposals for amending the composition of data and the classifications used in the administrative records and databases, if the coverage of data and the composition, level of detail and quality of data in the administrative records and databases do not allow the production of official statistics complying with the quality criteria of official statistics.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Data that permit direct or indirect identification of a statistical unit, thereby disclosing individual information, are confidential data.
The treatment of confidential data is regulated by the Procedure for Protection of Data Collected and Processed by Statistics Estonia: https://www.stat.ee/sites/default/files/2021-08/Procedure%20for%20Protection%20of%20Data%20Collected%20and%20Processed%20by%20Statistics%20Estonia.pdf.
The producer of official statistics disseminates data collected for the production of official statistics for public use only in a form that precludes the possibility of direct or indirect identification of a statistical unit.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in sections 34 and 35 of the Official Statistics Act.
The rules used to identify confidential cells are the following:
threshold rule (the number of contributors is less than a pre-specified threshold), dominance rule (the n largest contributions make up for more than k% of the cell total), secondary confidentiality rules.
Cell suppression (completely suppress the value of some cells) is used to protect data in confidential cells (when needed).
The data are published and transmitted without characteristics that permit identification of respondents, and are classified into groups of at least three holdings. Also, the data are not published if the share of data relating to a particular holding in the aggregate data is too high.
8.1. Release calendar
Notifications about the dissemination of statistics are published in the release calendar, which is available on the website.
All users have been granted equal access to official statistics: the dissemination dates of official statistics are announced in advance and no user category is provided access to official statistics before other users. Official statistics are first published in the statistical database. If there is also a news release, it is published simultaneously with data in the statistical database. Official statistics are available on the website at 8:00 a.m. on the date announced in the release calendar.
Data are disseminated every year.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Yes (https://www.stat.ee/et/uudised/suur-osa-eesti-pollumajandusmaast-ja-loomakasvatusest-mahe, only in Estonian)
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
No publications.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
https://andmed.stat.ee/en/stat (Economy > Agriculture > Agricultural production > Crop production and Livestock production). Currently, only part of the data delivered to Eurostat have been published in the statistical database; this will be changed at the latest when the new regulation enters into force.
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
The online data tables of organic production statistics were used 665 times in 2022.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
No, data for these statistics are received only on the aggregated level.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Organic production statistics have also been sent to FAO.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Metadata are publicly available but there are currently no statistics about their use.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Metadata are published on the website of Statistics Estonia.
The methodology is based on Eurostat's manual and guidelines.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
The quality report is delivered to Eurostat.
11.1. Quality assurance
To assure the quality of processes and products, Statistics Estonia applies the EFQM Excellence Model, the European Statistics Code of Practice and the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (ESS QAF). Statistics Estonia is also guided by the requirements in section 7, “Principles and quality criteria of producing official statistics”, of the Official Statistics Act.
Statistics Estonia performs all statistical activities according to an international model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model – GSBPM). According to the GSBPM, the final phase of statistical activities is overall evaluation using information gathered in each phase or sub-process; this information can take many forms, including feedback from users, process metadata, system metrics and suggestions from employees. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report which outlines all the quality problems related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
In general, the data quality is good.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Eurostat performs the consultations with EU-level and international users. At the national level, the main user of these data is the Ministry of Rural Affairs.
The new regulation has been adopted and will enter into force in 2025 to better meet user needs.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Statistics Estonia conducts reputation and user satisfaction surveys. The previous user satisfaction survey was conducted in 2021. Users were mostly satisfied.
12.3. Completeness
Obligatory variables are available. Voluntary variables have been delivered if the data have been available at the national level.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
100% of obligatory variables.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
There are no major errors as data are received from an administrative source – the organic farming register.
13.2. Sampling error
There are no sampling errors as data are received from the register.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
There are no coverage, unit non-response, processing and model assumption errors as data are received from the register. Item non-response and measurement errors are estimated to be very low and are possible only in the case of the quantity of organic production.
13.3.1. Coverage error
There are no coverage errors as data are received from the register.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Data are received from the register and additional surveys are not organised.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Measurement errors are estimated to be very low and are possible only in the case of the quantity of organic production.
13.3.3. Non response error
There are no unit non-response errors as data are received from the register. Item non-response errors are estimated to be very low and are possible only in the case of the quantity of organic production.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
There are no unit non-response errors as data are received from the register.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Item non-response errors are estimated to be very low and are possible only in the case of the quantity of organic production.
13.3.4. Processing error
It can be considered that there are no processing errors as data are received from the register.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
There are no model assumption errors as data are received from the register.
14.1. Timeliness
See concepts below.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Preliminary results are not published.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Final results were published at the national level and sent to Eurostat on 1 June (T+152 days).
14.2. Punctuality
See concepts below.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Data were published nationally according to the planned timetable and sent to Eurostat 30 days before the deadline.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
There are no differences in methods related to regions within the country.
Organic production statistics are comparable to data from other European Union countries because a common methodology is used.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The data are comparable over time.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Data are comparable for the whole period, i.e. since 2013.
annual crop production statistics (Regulation (EC) No 543/2009),
animal production statistics (Regulation (EC) No 1165/2008, Regulation (EC) No 617/2008).
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Data are internally consistent.
Currently, there is no information about the cost as there is no separate statistical activity. Organic farming statistics have been integrated into crop production and animal production statistics. The costs for Statistics Estonia are not high as data have been received from the organic farming register at the aggregated level.
There is no direct burden for respondents through the submission of questionnaires to Statistics Estonia as data have been received from the register.
17.1. Data revision - policy
The data revision policy and notification of corrections are described on Statistics Estonia's website in the section "Principles of dissemination of official statistics".
In the case of organic production data, there have been no revisions and they are not planned for the future.
17.2. Data revision - practice
The published data may be revised if the methodology is modified, errors are discovered, new or better data become available.
In the case of organic production data, there have been no revisions.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
The whole organic production dataset has been received from the organic farming register of the Agriculture and Food Board. The main legal act for this register is Council Regulation (EC) No 2018/848 on the EU level and the Organic Farming Act on the national level.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data are collected annually from the Agriculture and Food Board.
18.3. Data collection
Data are received from the Agriculture and Food Board at the aggregated level, using Eurostat's Excel form.
18.4. Data validation
The Agriculture and Food Board collects and validates the data, and compiles aggregated data tables. Statistics Estonia validates the aggregated tables and sends the data to Eurostat, and consults the Agriculture and Food Board if necessary.
Before submission to Statistics Estonia, the data are checked and confirmed by an organic agriculture specialist of the Agriculture and Food Board (checks whether the data are plausible and logical, whether the quantities have been converted correctly, e.g. tonnes to kilograms, etc.); and then the aggregates are made for sending to Eurostat.
18.5. Data compilation
The Agriculture and Food Board collects and validates the data, and compiles aggregated data tables. Statistics Estonia validates the aggregated tables and sends the data to Eurostat, and consults the Agriculture and Food Board if necessary.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.6. Adjustment
Adjustment is not used.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
No additional comments.
The collected statistics for the country cover the following data:
Certified registered organic operators (referring to their main or secondary activity) (expressed in number of operators)
Certified registered organic processors who manufacture organic products (as their main or secondary activity) (expressed in number of processors)
Certified organic crop area (under conversion and fully converted) (expressed in hectares)
Certified organic crop production from fully converted area (expressed in 1 000 kg)
Certified organic livestock (expressed in heads of live animals)
Production of certified organic products of animalorigin (expressed in 1 000 kg of carcass weight and in thousand eggs)
Production of certified organic milk products (Produced on farms or Processed on farms or by dairy enterprises) and Honey and products of bee-keeping (expressed in 1 000 kg of products obtained)
Certified organic aquaculture sold by producers (expressed in 1 000 kg live weight)
Reference year 2022. Number of certified organic livestock (expressed in heads of live animals) as at year end (31.12.2022).
There are no major errors as data are received from an administrative source – the organic farming register.
Certified registered organic operators (referring to their main or secondary activity) (expressed in number of operators)
Certified registered organic processors who manufacture organic products (as their main or secondary activity) (expressed in number of processors)
Certified organic croparea (under conversion and fully converted) (expressed in hectares)
Certified organic cropproduction from fully converted area (expressed in 1 000 kg)
Certified organic livestock (expressed in heads of live animals)
Production of certified organic products of animal origin (expressed in 1 000 kg of carcass weight and in thousand eggs)
Production of certified organic milk products (Produced on farms or Processed on farms or by dairy enterprises) and Honey and products of bee-keeping (expressed in 1 000 kg of products obtained)
Certified organic aquaculture sold by producers (expressed in 1 000 kg live weight)
The Agriculture and Food Board collects and validates the data, and compiles aggregated data tables. Statistics Estonia validates the aggregated tables and sends the data to Eurostat, and consults the Agriculture and Food Board if necessary.
The whole organic production dataset has been received from the organic farming register of the Agriculture and Food Board. The main legal act for this register is Council Regulation (EC) No 2018/848 on the EU level and the Organic Farming Act on the national level.
Data are disseminated every year.
See concepts below.
There are no differences in methods related to regions within the country.
Organic production statistics are comparable to data from other European Union countries because a common methodology is used.
