Archive:Agricultural census in the Czech Republic
- Data from November 2012. Most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database.
This article is part of a series of country-specific essays on the results of the European Union (EU) Farm structure survey (FSS) 2010. The FSS collects information on the structural characteristics of the agricultural holdings (land use, livestock and labour force) and is carried out by all European Union Member States every 10 years as an Agricultural census, with two or three additional, intermediate sample surveys carried out in-between. In Poland, the Agricultural census 2010 was the first to be fully harmonised with the EU regulation, although most of the characteristics recorded in the previous one (2003) were already in line with EU requirements. The present analysis of the farm structure includes a comparison with the Agricultural census 2003. Even though the reference years of the Agricultural census in Poland were 2002 and 2010 respectively, the common designation is Agricultural census 2003 and 2010.
Source: Eurostat (ef_kvaareg) (ef_ov_kvaa) (demo_pjan) and FSS 2003 and 2010
Source: Eurostat (ef_kvaareg) (ef_ov_kvaa) and FSS 2003 and 2010
Source: Eurostat (ef_kvaareg) (ef_ov_kvaa)
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2007 and 2010
Source: Eurostat (ef_kvftreg)
Source: Eurostat (ef_kvftreg)
Source: Eurostat (ef_lu_ovcropaa) (ef_oluaareg)
Source: Eurostat (ef_lu_ovcropaa) (ef_oluaareg)
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2003 and 2010
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2003 and 2010
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2003 and 2010
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2003 and 2010
Source: Eurostat (ef_mptenure)
Source: Source: Eurostat (ef_pmhouscatlaa)
Source: Eurostat FSS 2010
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2005, 2007 and 2010
Main statistical findings
Key indicators
Within the EU 27 context, Poland is among the countries with the highest number of agricultural holdings. According to the Agricultural census 2010, there were more than 1.5 million of them (see Table 1). In 2003 this figure was even higher as there were over 2 million farms, but after that year roughly one out of three agricultural holdings closed down.
The utilised agricultural area (UAA) remained quite stable over the very same timeframe – 14.4 million of hectares corresponding to 46 % of the whole country – suggesting that small holdings were taken over by bigger ones. This tendency, widespread in the EU, is confirmed by the growth of the average size of the holding, which moved from 6.6 ha in 2003 to 9.6 ha in 2010 (+44 %).
Within the period under analysis, the number of persons regularly working in the agricultural sector dropped by 12 %, further confirming the above mentioned trend: over 4.3 million people were working in agriculture in 2003, whereas in 2010 this figure dropped to about 3.8 million. Despite the decline, this value represented 22 % of the active population[1]of Poland in 2010, one of the highest shares within the EU 27.
When comparing the FSS 2010 data with the FSS 2003 data, a fall (-7 %) is also observed in the population of livestock expressed in livestock units (LSU). Figures decreased from over 11.2 millions of LSU in 2003 to 10.4 millions of LSU in 2010. Nevertheless, Poland remained ranked among the countries with the highest number of LSU within the EU 27.
Regional key indicators
The regional data exhibited in Table 2 shed light on the local characteristics of the Polish agriculture. When looking at the number of holdings, three regions stood out recording double-digit shares over the total number of holdings in 2010: Mazowieckie with 15 %, Lubelskie with 13 % and Malopolskie which accounted for 10 %. In 2003, together with the territory of Podkarpackie, those were also the regions that recorded values higher than the threshold of 10 %. The Podkarpackie region, however, recorded one of the highest decreases (40 %) over the 2003-2010 timeframe dropping under the 10 % threshold. Although the Mazowieckie, Lubelskie and Malopolskie regions maintained their numbers above the threshold, they also recorded considerable losses in terms of the number of holdings.
According to the FSS 2010 data, the Mazowieckie region recorded the largest share of UAA (13 %), corresponding to 1.8 million of hectares; a decrease of 3 % was registered in comparison with the FSS 2003 data (see Table 2). In terms of UAA, the second most important region was the north-eastern territory of Wielkopolskie, which recorded 1.7 million of hectares of UAA (12 %) in 2010, the same value recorded in 2003. Furthermore, other four regions registered more than one million hectares of UAA: Lubelskie (1.3 million ha), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (1.05 million ha), Podlaskie (1.03 million ha) and Warminsko-Mazurskie (1.03 million ha); the latter region recorded a noticeable increase over the 2003-2010 time period (10 %).
In 2010, the Wielkopolskie and Mazowieckie regions were also the most important territories in terms of livestock, expressed in livestock units (LSU). Wielkopolskie recorded 2 million LSU, corresponding to 19 % of the LSU of the whole country (- 2 % compared with the FSS 2003); Mazowieckie registered 1.5 million LSU, a share of 14 % of the whole Polish livestock population (an increase of 1 % compared with the 2003 figure).
According to the latest structural data on agriculture, there were 538 830 persons regularly working on the farms in Mazowieckie: a share of 14 % over the total number of persons working in this sector in Poland and a 1.6 % rise in comparison with the FSS 2003 value. The second highest figure was recorded on the territory of Lubelskie, where 487 110 persons were regularly employed in agriculture in 2010, corresponding to a share of 13 % (-8 % in comparison with the FSS 2003 data). Other noticeable values were recorded for Malopolskie (420 440) and Podkarpackie (387 570), both of which registered one of the highest decreases (-21 % in each case) over the 2003-2010 timeframe.
With reference to the average area of the agricultural holding, Polish regions proved to vary to a great extent. Values ranged from the 3.7 hectares of Malopolskie – one of the territories with the highest share of holdings and persons regularly employed in the agricultural sector – to the 29.4 hectares of Zachodniopomorskie - one of the regions lying on the very opposite end of the scale with reference to the same indicators.
Agricultural holdings
Analysing the farms by size class, the aforementioned tendency of the small holdings to disappear in favour of the bigger ones is confirmed. Indeed, over the 2003-2010 period, the number of holdings with less than 30 hectares of UAA decreased, while figures increased for farms with 30 or more hectares. Accordingly, as it is shown in Figure 1, about half of the Polish farms (55 %) had less than 5 hectares of UAA in 2010, while a small number of holdings (8 %) – those with 20 or more hectares of UAA – represented 49 % of the UAA of the entire country.
In 2010, the farms with 100 hectares or more of UAA owned 22 % of the UAA of the whole country, nevertheless representing only 1 % of the total number of holdings. In 2003, they represented 0.3 % of farms and covered 19 % of the Polish UAA.
See detailed data at NUTS 2 level for 2010 and 2003
Economic size of the farm
In 2010, the economic size of all the Polish agricultural holdings was EUR 18 987 million (see Table 3). This value, which is calculated by adding all the standard output (SO) per hectare of crop and per head of livestock of the farms, is one of the highest recorded within the EU 27. Compared to the 2007 FSS value (17 035 million), it indicates an increase of 11.5%, attributable to the holdings with an average monetary value of EUR 15 000 or more. In particular, the highest increase was recorded for the bigger class of holdings (+ 50 %) – those with EUR 500 000 or more of SO. On the contrary, holdings with less than EUR 1 000 recorded the sharpest drop (-45 %).
See detailed data at NUTS 2 level for 2010 and 2007
Agricultural holding by main type of farming
In terms of the number of holdings and the main type of farming, there were three major types as per the Agricultural census 2010. Accordingly, almost one out of four Polish agricultural holdings (23 %) were found to be specialised in general field cropping; further 17 % of them were recorded as specialised in cereals, oilseed and protein crops, while 14 % was producing various crops and livestock combined. All other types of production recorded percentages lower the 10 % threshold, with the aggregate category ‘other’ falling on it.
In terms of the economic size, the categories appeared even less significant, suggesting the absence of a dominant production. Four of them recorded double-digit percentages, although none of them reached the status of representing even one fifth of the total standard output of the country. The highest share of the total SO of the Polish agricultural holdings was produced by the farms specialised in dairy farming (16 %), followed by those specialised in various crops and livestock combined (12 %). Furthermore, agricultural holdings specialised in general field cropping as well as those focusing on poultry accounted for 10 %.
See detailed data at NUTS 2 level for 2010
Land use
The utilised agricultural area (UAA) is the total area used by the holding, regardless of the type of tenure or whether it is used as a part of common land; it is taken up by arable land, permanent grassland and meadow, permanent crops and kitchen gardens. In Poland, the UAA as well as the share of its main components – arable land and permanent grassland and meadows – remained fairly stable over the 2003-2010 timeframe.
According to the FSS 2010 data, arable land accounted for three fourths of the total UAA, while permanent grassland and meadow shared 22.4 %. Therefore, the two categories together accounted for over the 97 % of the whole UAA in Poland – they shared the 98 % of UAA of the country in 2003.
See detailed data at NUTS 2 level for 2010 and 2003
Arable land
In Poland, arable land is essentially taken up by cereals: in 2010 they occupied 70 % of the whole arable land, a share corresponding to the 53 % of the total UAA. As it is shown in Table 4, this value represents a decrease of 8 % compared to the FSS 2003 figure.
The only other relevant category of arable land is industrial crops, which recorded over 1 million hectares in 2010, a share of 7 % of the total UAA of Poland. Compared to the value recorded in 2003, the area dedicated to the cultivation of industrial crops gained importance, doubling its share in the total UAA of the country.
See detailed data at NUTS 2 level for 2010 and 2003
Permanent grassland
Between 2000 and 2010, the area of permanent grassland remained fairly stable in Poland, increasing only by about 90 000 hectares (+ 3 %). Nonetheless, its composition changed over the years as the land dedicated to pasture and meadow grew by 50 %, reaching about 3 million of hectares – it stood at roughly 2 millions of hectares in 2003. On the contrary, the area of rough grazing dropped sharply from over one million ha in 2003 to less than 70 000 ha in 2003. Furthermore, more than 200 000 hectares were not used for production but they were eligible for subsidies in Poland in 2010 – usually this area is used for maintaining the land in good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAEC).
See detailed data at NUTS 2 level for 2010 and 2003
Livestock
Statistics on livestock use two different units of measurement: the number of heads (number of animals) and the livestock units (LSU), the latter allowing comparison between different types of livestock.
In 2010, more than 10 million LSU were recorded in Poland (see Table 5), which represented one of the highest values within the EU 27. In relative terms, there were 0.38 LSU per inhabitant, the very same value recorded in 2003, as both the number of inhabitants and the population of livestock decreased over the timeframe under analysis.
Cattle are by far the most important livestock in Poland. In 2010, they represented over 40 % of the livestock, recording an increase (1 %) compared to the 2003 data, thus reaching 4.4 million of LSU. As exhibited in Table 5, pigs were the second most important type of livestock. Although their number dropped from over 4 million of LSU to 3.6 million of LSU over the 2010-2003 period, in 2010 they still represented 35 % of the total population of livestock in Poland. Also the poultry recorded values worth mentioning: 2 millions of LSU, accounting for 20 % of the Polish LSU in 2010.
The share of the number of holdings with livestock on the total number of farms dropped over the years: from 67 % in 2003 to 61 % in 2010. The figure for agricultural holdings as well as the one for farms with livestock decreased (the latter one at a higher speed than the other). In particular, values decreased for farms with less than 20 LSU, whereas they grew for holdings with 20 or more of LSU, further suggesting that smaller farms were taken up by bigger ones.
According to the FSS 2010 data, the region of Wielkopolskie was the territory hosting the highest number of livestock: about 2 million of LSU were recorded there, accounting for 19 % of the whole population of livestock. In particular, the territory of Wielkopolskie accounted for 26 % of the total population of pigs expressed in LSU.
In terms of livestock, the second most important region was Mazowieckie, which recorded 1.5 millions of LSU in 2010: a share of 15 % of the Polish population of livestock. In this case, cattle was found to be the most important type of livestock as it recorded 833 250 LSU, accounting for 19 % of the total population of cattle of Poland.
See detailed data at Nuts 2 level for 2010 and 2003
Labour force
As exhibited in Table 6, 3.8 million persons were working in the agricultural holdings in Poland. Although this was one of the highest values recorded with the EU 27, it represented a drop of 12 % compared to 2003, when more than 4 million persons were working in the agricultural sector. If the direct labour force is taken into account, in annual work unit (AWU), Poland scored the highest value among the 27 European Member States: 1.9 million of AWU in 2010, -13.4 % compared to the 2003 figure.
The regional analysis shows that the territory of Mazowieckie recorded the highest number of persons employed on a regular basis: 538 830 in 2010, corresponding to 14 % of the total regular labour force of Poland. The territory of Lubelskie registered the second highest share (13 %) – 487 110 persons employed on a regular basis – while the regions of Malopolskie (11 %) and Podkarpackie (10 %) followed. All together, these four territories accounted for about half of the whole regular labour force of Poland in 2010.
Although in Poland figures for male sole holders decreased more than for female sole holders over the 2003-2010 period, three forths of sole holders were still male in 2010.
See detailed data at NUTS 2 level on holders' age and gender for 2010 and 2003
See detailed data at NUTS 2 level on type of labour force for 2010 and 2003
Management practices
Type of tenure
According to the FSS 2010 data, almost three fourth of the Polish UAA (71 %) belonged to the farmers who actually worked on that land (see Table 7). Corresponding values were even higher for the territory of Mazowieckie (86.5 %), Podlaskie (86.2 %) and Lubelskie (80.3 %).
On the contrary, the area farmed by tenants summed up to 18.7 % of the total UAA. Values remarkably higher than this average were recorded in Zachodniopomorskie (34.8 %), Opolskie (30.8 %) and Dolnoslaskie (28.5 %).
The share-farmed agricultural area – which is an agricultural area utilised in partnership by the landlord and the sharecropper under a written or oral share-farming contract, or an area utilised under other modes of tenure – took up a marginal 10.2 % in Poland. Nonetheless, slightly higher values were recorded in Lódzkie (19.5 %) and in Swietokrzyskie (18.3 %).
Irrigation
As in most of the northern Member States of the EU, irrigation is also of minor importance in Poland. Indeed, the irrigable area covered only 0.6 % of the Polish UAA (85 200 ha) and the irrigated area accounted for an even smaller percentage (0.3 %) of the total UAA in 2010.
Animal housing
Among the 27 EU Member States, Poland has one of the highest numbers of holdings with cattle. According to the Agricultural census 2010, there were 514 120 of such holdings raising 5.7 millions of heads of cattle and providing a total of 7.1 million of places. Thus, in Poland the number or places exceeded the number of heads of cattle in 2010, which serves to explain why the percentage is more than 100.
The most common type of animal housing was found to be the one where animals are in the stanchion tied stable with solid dung and manure: 4.2 millions places, corresponding to 73.2 % of the total amount of heads of cattle in Poland.
A large number of places (1.7 million) was recorded under the ‘other’ (non-specified) category. Accounting for 30 % of heads of cattle, these places represented the second most relevant category, followed by loose housing with solid dung and liquid manure: 976 370 places allocated among 71 450 holdings, accounting for 17 % of heads of cattle.
Other gainful activities
According to the data of the Agricultural census 2010, there were 49 680 holdings with other gainful activities in Poland. Although these farms represent only 3.3 % of the total number of holdings, their number places Poland among the EU Member States with the highest population of farms with other gainful activities – activities other than farm work, directly related to the holding and having an economic impact on the holding.
Information on other gainful activities was collected by eleven category types depending on their characteristics – one holding could register more than one activity.
In 2010, the Malopolskie and the Mazowieckie regions recorded the highest number of holdings with other gainful activities: 6 560 and 5 980 holdings respectively. The most common activity other than agriculture was found to be contractual work (7 370 holdings), which mainly consisted in contractual agricultural work (5 690 holdings).
See detailed data at NUTS 2 level for 2010 and 2003
Organic farming
Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It is based on the minimal use of off-farm inputs and on the management practices that restore, maintain or enhance ecological harmony.
Although the UAA under organic farming had been increasing in Poland, it took up only 1.6 % of the whole UAA of the country in 2010. As showed in Table 10, it grew from 56 240 hectares in 2005 to 236 750 in 2010 – no data are available for 2003.
See detailed data at Nuts 2 level for 2010, 2007 2005
Data sources and availability
Methodological notes
The Agricultural Census 2010 was the first Agricultural census fully harmonised with the European legislation to be carried out in Poland. Nonetheless, most of the characteristics surveyed in the previous Agricultural census (2003) were already in line with the EU requirements. Following its accession to the EU, Poland conducted Farm Structure Surveys in 2005 and 2007, in accordance with the EU calendar and requirements.
Survey on agricultural production methods (SAPM)
In 2010 a unique survey was carried out together with the Agricultural census: the Survey on agricultural productions methods (SAPM). This survey collected data at regional level needed to establish agri-environmental indicators as indicated in COM final 508/2006 and to evaluate the greening of the Common agricultural policy.
Data were collected according to specifications listed in Annex V of regulation regulation 1166/2008, namely data on tillage methods, soil conservation, landscape features, animal grazing, animal housing, manure application, manure storage and treatment facilities and irrigation.
In Poland, the SAPM was conducted as a sample survey using the same threshold applied for the Agricultural census. Accordingly, the smallest holdings, which all together contributed to less than 2 % of the total UAA and less than 2 % of the total number of livestock of the country, did not enter the target population.
Reference period
Data were collected as of the 30th of June 2010. Information related to a wider timeframe (i.e. the average irrigated area and support for rural development) was collected as of the three years prior to this date. Finally, data related to a period of 12 month were collected starting with the 12 months before the 30th of June 2010.
Threshold for agricultural holdings
For both the FSS and the SAPM, target population included all the agricultural holdings with at least one hectare of agricultural land. Furthermore, holdings with less than one hectare of agricultural land but complying with a set of physical thresholds related to the hectares of certain types of crops or heads of cattle were also included in the target population of both the surveys.
Common land
Common land is the land that does not directly belong to any agricultural holding but on which common rights apply. It can consist of pasture, horticultural or other land. The treatment of the common land used by an agricultural holding might differ from country to country. In Poland the area of common land is non-significant; therefore, the Agricultural census 2010 as well as the previous waves of the FSS did not survey it. However, the area of common land was included in the total UAA of the country and the sections which were found to be used by agricultural holdings were recorded as leased area.
Geo-reference of the holding
The geographical location of agricultural holdings was obtained by matching the address features from the census list with the records from the statistical address database.
Economic size
From FSS 2007 onward, the Standard output (SO), a new classification of the economic size of the holding, is used. The SO has replaced the Standard gross margin (SGM) used before. Nonetheless, for comparability reasons, in FSS 2007 both classifications are available.
Volume of irrigation water
This characteristic was calculated for the first time in 2010 within the context of the SAPM. In Poland, the volume of irrigation water did not take into account the water used for kitchen gardens and crops under cover.
Other methodological issues
In the second half of May and the beginning of June 2010, Poland experienced one of the largest floods in its history, which particularly affected the southern regions. This caused extensive damage to permanent grassland, resulted in a loss of agricultural production, and it increased the hectares of land not intended for agricultural production. Although some of these effects could be temporary, they should be taken into consideration when analysing the Agricultural census 2010 data.
Context
European Commission Rural development policy aims to improve competitiveness in agriculture and forestry, the environment and the countryside as well as the quality of life in rural areas and to encourage the diversification of rural economies.
As agriculture has modernised and the importance of industry and services within the economy has increased, so agriculture has become much less important as a source of jobs. Consequently, increasing emphasis is placed on the role farmers can play in rural development, including forestry, biodiversity and the diversification of the rural economy, in order to create alternative jobs and provide environmental protection in rural areas.
The FSS continues to adapt in order to provide timely and relevant data to help analyse and follow these developments.
Further Eurostat information
Publications
- Agriculture, fishery and forestry statistics — Main results – 2010-11 - 2012 edition
- Farm Structure in Czech Republic - 2007 - Statistics in focus 86/2008
- Farm Structure in Czech Republic - 2005 - Statistics in focus 21/2006
- Farm Structure in Czech Republic - 2003
Main tables
- Agriculture, see:
- Structure of agricultural holdings (t_ef)
Database
- Agriculture, see:
- Structure of agricultural holdings (ef)
Dedicated section
Methodology / Metadata
- Structure of agricultural holdings (ESMS metadata file - ef_esms)
- Methodological Report – FSS 2010 Czech Republic
- Methodological Report – FSS 2007 Czech Republic
Source data for tables and figures (MS Excel)
_by_UAA_size_classes_Poland_2010.PNG){kind=link}
Other information
- Regulation 1166/2008 of 19 November 2008 on farm structure surveys and the survey on agricultural production methods and repealing Council Regulation 571/88
- Regulation 1200/2009 of 30 November 2009 implementing Regulation 1166/2008 on farm structure surveys and the survey on agricultural production methods, as regards livestock unit coefficients and definitions of the characteristics
See also
External links
Notes
- ↑ A value calculated over the total number of active people aged 15 to 64, as it is reported by the 4th quarter 2010 of the EU Labour force survey (LFS) Population by sex, age, nationality and labour status (1 000) (lfsq_pganws)