According to the latest data from the economic accounts for agriculture, the index of agricultural labour productivity in the EU is estimated to have increased slightly in 2021 (+1%), after a decrease in 2020.
The overall rise in agricultural labour productivity in 2021 largely reflected developments in production values, higher prices for inputs and a stable volume of agricultural labour.
This information comes from data on agriculture recently published by Eurostat.
Rise in EU labour productivity driven by France’s rebound
The sharpest rates of increase in agricultural labour productivity in 2021 were recorded in Bulgaria (+32.9%), Ireland (+16.4%) and France (+16.3%). The value of factor income in France was the highest among all the Member States and represented 18.4% of the EU total. The other four countries of the "big five" that accounted for a further one half (49.5 %) of EU factor income all reported falls in agricultural labour productivity in 2021: Spain (-6.0%), Germany (-5.3%), Poland ( 4.5%), and Italy (-1.7%).
Source dataset: aact_eaa06
The labour productivity of the agricultural industry can be measured as factor income expressed per full-time labour equivalent. This is a measure of the net value added generated from agricultural goods and services by the equivalent of each full-time worker in the agricultural industry, presented in real terms (adjusted for inflation) and expressed as an index.
Agricultural labour productivity in 2021 one third above 2010
Compared with 2010, the level of the index of EU real factor income was 8% higher in 2021. During the same period, there was a steady and overall decline in the index of agricultural labour input of 18%. Together, these changes resulted in EU agricultural labour productivity (Indicator A) being about one third (32%) higher in 2021 than in 2010.
Source datasets: aact_eaa05, aact_eaa06 and aact_ali02
Agricultural labour productivity should not be confused with the total income of farming households or the income of a person working in agriculture.
For more information:
- Eurostat dedicated section of agriculture statistics
- Eurostat database of agriculture statistics
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