Archive:Enlargement countries - agriculture, forestry and fisheries statistics

Data extracted in September 2015. Most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database. Planned article update: October 2016.

This article is part of an online publication and provides information on a range of statistics for the agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors of the enlargement countries, in other words the candidate countries and potential candidates. Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Serbia and Turkey currently have candidate status, while Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo ^[1] are potential candidates.

The article provides an overview of recent developments in the enlargement countries, presenting indicators such as the relative importance of agriculture, forestry and fishing in terms of their contribution to total gross value added and employment. It also provides more detailed data on agricultural land use, agricultural production, livestock populations and meat production, as well as trade in food, live animals, drinks and tobacco.

Figure 1: Share of gross value added from agriculture, forestry and fishing (NACE Rev. 2), 2004 and 2014
(% of total gross value added)
Source: Eurostat (nama_10_a10) and (cpc_ecnabrk)

Figure 2: Share of employment in agriculture, forestry and fishing (NACE Rev. 2), 2004 and 2014
(% of total employment)
Source: Eurostat (lfsa_egana), (lfsa_egan2) and (cpc_pslm)

Figure 3: Utilised agricultural area, 2004, 2009 and 2014
(% of total area)
Source: Eurostat (appro_cpp_luse), (demo_r_d3area) and (cpc_agmain)

Table 1: Agricultural production, 2004, 2009 and 2014
(thousand tonnes)
Source: Eurostat (apro_mt_lscatl), (apro_mt_lspig), (apro_mt_lssheep), (apro_mt_lsgoar) and (cpc_agmain)

Table 2: Livestock population, 2004, 2009 and 2014 (¹)
(thousand heads)
Source: Eurostat (apro_mt_lscatl), (apro_mt_lspig), (apro_mt_lssheep), (apro_mt_lsgoat) and (cpc_agmain)

Table 3: Slaughtered animal production, 2004, 2009 and 2014
(thousand tonnes)
Source: Eurostat (apro_mt_pann) and (cpc_agmain)

Table 4: Imports of food, live animals, drinks and tobacco, 2004–14
(million EUR)
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu28sitc) and (ext_lt_intercc)

Table 5: Exports of food, live animals, drinks and tobacco, 2004–14
(million EUR)
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu28sitc) and (ext_lt_intercc)

Main statistical findings

Gross value added and employment

The share of agriculture, forestry and fishing in value added is considerably higher in enlargement countries than in the EU

The relative weight of agriculture, forestry and fishing in terms of their contribution to gross value added was 1.6 % in the EU-28 in 2014 (see Figure 1). This was considerably smaller than in any of the enlargement countries, where Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina recorded the lowest shares at 7.1 %. In three of the enlargement countries these activities contributed at least one tenth of total value added, peaking at 22.6 % in Albania.

Between 2004 and 2014 the relative contribution of agriculture, forestry and fishing to value added in the EU-28 fell from 2.0 % to 1.6 %. All of the enlargement countries — with the exception of Albania — also recorded a decline in their shares of value added from these activities, with reductions of more than 3.0 percentage points observed for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo (between 2006 and 2013) and Serbia.

Employment in agriculture, forestry and fishing in the EU-28 accounted for 4.4 % of the total number of persons employed in 2014 (see Figure 2), some 2.7 times the contribution of these activities to total value added. The long-term reduction in the proportion of the total EU workforce employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing continued, as the proportion of total employment fell by 1.3 percentage points during the period 2004–14.

Among the enlargement countries, Kosovo (2.6 %) recorded the lowest employment share for agriculture, forestry and fishing, while the 5.7 % share in Montenegro was just above that in the EU-28. By contrast, close to one fifth of the workforce was employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing activities in 2014 in most of the other enlargement countries, with this share peaking at 42.7 % in Albania.

Land use

Close to half of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey’s area is used for agriculture

The area within each country that is used for farming varies according to climate, terrain and soil type, while the level of economic development and population density may also play a role in determining land use. Within the EU-28 roughly equal proportions of land (around 40 % of the total land area) are used for farming and for forestry, with the remainder being built-up areas (villages, towns and cities), infrastructure (roads or railways), scrub or waste land.

The utilised agricultural area (UAA) refers to the area that is actually used for agricultural purposes. The combined utilised agricultural area for the enlargement countries was around 47 million hectares, equivalent to just over one quarter of the total for the EU-28. Among the enlargement countries, Turkey had by far the largest utilised agricultural area, some 39 million hectares. Relative to the size of each country, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey recorded the highest proportions of their total area utilised for agricultural purposes, close to half (both 49.1 %) in 2014 (see Figure 3), while in Serbia the share was 45.3 % and in Albania it was 41.0 %. This proportion was below 40 % in the remaining enlargement countries with the lowest ratio (16.2 %) being recorded for Montenegro (2013 data).

The large fall in between 2004 and 2014 in the proportion of total area used for agriculture in Montenegro and Serbia is largely explained by a break in series in both countries; the developments between 2009 and 2014 show a relatively stable situation. Elsewhere, only Albania reported a higher proportion of land used for agriculture in 2014 than had been used in 2004.

Agricultural production

Cereals and sugar beet production in enlargement countries was around one sixth or one seventh the level in the EU-28

The production of cereals in the EU-28 was 334 million tonnes in 2014, while the combined harvest for the enlargement countries (including 2013 data for Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Kosovo) was around 46 million tonnes, equivalent to just under one seventh (14 %) of the output of the EU-28 (see Table 1). A similar situation could be seen for sugar beet, where the combined production of the enlargement countries (no data available for Kosovo) was also equivalent to just over one sixth (16 %) of the EU-28 total. Crop production levels can fluctuate substantially from year to year as a result of climatic/weather conditions and variations in demand. Production of cereals and sugar beet was higher in 2014 than in 2004 in around half of the enlargement countries, while in the EU-28 cereals production was higher but the output of sugar beet was lower.

The level of milk production (which may include milk other than cows’ milk) was approximately the same in 2014 (155 million tonnes) in the EU-28 as it had been in 2004 (154 million tonnes). The latest information for six of the enlargement countries (no data for Kosovo) shows that Turkey had by far the highest milk production and reported an increase of 73 % between 2004 and 2014.

Climatic and cultural/religious particularities in the enlargement countries are reflected in their livestock production and slaughtering

The number of cattle in the EU-28 declined from 91 million in 2004 to 88 million by 2014. Comparing the same years most of the enlargement countries also reported a fall in cattle numbers, the exception being Turkey where the cattle population increased substantially. By 2014 the total number of cattle in the enlargement countries was equivalent to almost one fifth (19 %) of the EU-28 total.

Cultural particularities explain many of the differences in the structure of livestock rearing in the EU and enlargement countries (see Table 2). For example, Turkey is a largely Muslim country and as such many of its citizens abstain from eating pork; the same is true in some of the Balkan countries, for example, in parts of Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania. Whereas in the EU-28 there were more pigs than cattle, among the enlargement countries this situation was only repeated in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Collectively the number of pigs in enlargement countries was equivalent to just 3 % of the EU-28 total.

Turkey alone reported 41.5 million sheep and goats in 2014 and the combined total for the enlargement countries was 49 million. As such, the number of sheep and goats in enlargement countries was relatively high when compared with the EU-28 (although recent data are not available for the EU aggregate). In relation to the number of cattle and pigs, the number of sheep and goats was particularly high in Albania in 2014.

The livestock figures shown in Table 2 are, unsurprisingly, reflected in the meat production figures in Table 3, notably the relatively low level of pig meat production in some enlargement countries. The quantity of pig meat produced in the EU-28 in 2014 was three times the level of output from cattle. Among the enlargement countries a higher ratio was observed for Serbia where pig meat production was nearly four times as high as the level of meat production from cattle. By contrast, less pig meat was produced than meat from cattle in Albania and Montenegro, as well as in Turkey where pig meat production was negligible.

Among the four types of meat production shown in Table 3 pig meat had the largest share in Serbia (59 % of the total) and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (47 %), whereas the highest share of output was recorded for meat from cattle in Albania (45 %) and Montenegro (51 %), and from poultry meat in Turkey (66 %) as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina (58 %).

Trade in food, live animals, drinks and tobacco

Note that the values of imports and exports shown in Tables 4 and 5 are presented in current prices. Fluctuating prices for raw and processed food may have a considerable impact on the trade position of a country, while climatic/weather conditions can determine if there is a surplus of food for export or the need for more imports.

The EU-28 consistently ran a trade deficit in food, live animal, drinks and tobacco products over the period 2004–11, while in the three most recent years (2012–14) the EU-28 recorded a trade surplus in these products; note that the trade data presented for the EU-28 in Tables 4 and 5 concern extra-EU trade only. Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo recorded trade deficits during the entire period from 2004 to 2014 (in so far as data are available). By contrast, Serbia and Turkey both recorded trade surpluses for food, live animals, drinks and tobacco throughout the period shown.

Collectively (data are not available for Kosovo), exports of food, live animals, drinks and tobacco from enlargement countries were valued at EUR 13.9 billion in 2014, equivalent to about 13 % of the EU-28 total, while the value of imports of these goods into the enlargement countries was EUR 8.4 billion, equivalent to just 8.5 % of the EU-28 total.

The highest value of exports of food, live animals, drinks and tobacco in 2014 among the enlargement countries was recorded in Turkey (EUR 11.1 billion), which was four fifths of all the food, live animal, drinks and tobacco exports from the enlargement countries. Serbia was the only other enlargement country with such exports valued in excess of EUR 1 billion, while exports of food, live animals, drinks and tobacco from Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo were valued at less than EUR 100 million.

Exports of food, live animals, drinks and tobacco from Serbia were more than three times as high in 2014 as they had been in 2005. Such exports from Turkey (2004 to 2014), Montenegro (2006 to 2014) and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (2004 to 2014) more than doubled. Among the other enlargement countries (for which the time series runs from 2012 to 2014) a relatively large increase was observed for Albania, a smaller increase for Kosovo and a slight decrease for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Data sources and availability

Data for the enlargement countries are collected for a wide range of indicators each year through a questionnaire that is sent by Eurostat to partner countries which have either the status of being candidate countries or potential candidates. A network of contacts in each country has been established for updating these questionnaires, generally within the national statistical offices, but potentially including representatives of other data-producing organisations (for example, central banks or government ministries). The statistics shown in this article are made available free-of-charge on Eurostat’s website, together with a wide range of other socio-economic indicators collected as part of this initiative. The situation for international trade statistics is somewhat different, as more detailed international trade statistics are available from Eurostat’s Comext database or the United Nations’ Comtrade database.

All statistics presented in this article as monetary values in euro terms are based on current price series (unless otherwise stated).

The utilised agricultural area describes the area used for farming. It includes arable land, permanent grassland, permanent crops (such as orchards, olive trees and vineyards) and other agricultural land such as kitchen gardens.

Statistics on crop production relate to harvested production. Cereals include wheat (common wheat and spelt and durum wheat), rye, maslin, barley, oats, mixed grain other than maslin, grain maize, sorghum, triticale, and other cereal crops such as buckwheat, millet, canary seed and rice. Meat production is based on the activity of slaughterhouses regarding meat fit for human consumption. Tables in this article use the following notation:

Value in italics	data value is forecasted, provisional or estimated and is therefore likely to change;
:	not available, confidential or unreliable value.
–	not applicable.

Context

Agriculture was one of the first sectors of the economy (following coal and steel) to receive the attention of EU policymakers, and statistics on agriculture were initially designed to monitor the main objectives of the common agricultural policy (CAP). While the CAP remains one of the EU’s most important policies there has been a widespread evaluation, which has led to a range of new objectives designed to correct imbalances and overproduction.

In December 2013, the latest reform of the CAP was formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. The main elements of the CAP post-2013 concern: a fairer distribution of direct payments (with targeted support and convergence goals); strengthening the position of farmers within the food production chain (such as through: the promotion of professional and inter-professional organisations; changes to the organisation of the sugar and wine sectors; revisions to public intervention and private storage aid; and new crisis management tools); and continued support for rural development, safeguarding the environment and biodiversity.

While basic principles and institutional frameworks for producing statistics are already in place, the enlargement countries are expected to increase progressively the volume and quality of their data and to transmit these data to Eurostat in the context of the EU accession process. The EU standards in the field of statistics require the existence of a statistical infrastructure based on principles such as professional independence, impartiality, relevance, confidentiality of individual data and easy access to official statistics; they cover methodology, classifications and standards for production.

Eurostat has the responsibility to ensure that statistical production of the enlargement countries complies with the EU acquis in the field of statistics. To do so, Eurostat supports the national statistical offices and other producers of official statistics through a range of initiatives, such as pilot surveys, training courses, traineeships, study visits, workshops and seminars, and participation in meetings within the European statistical system (ESS). The ultimate goal is the provision of harmonised, high-quality data that conforms to European and international standards.

Additional information on statistical cooperation with the enlargement countries is provided here.

Further Eurostat information

Publications

Database

Enlargement_countries, see:

Candidate countries and potential candidates (cpc)

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries (cpc_ag)

External links

Notes

↑ This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

[1] This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

[1]