Archive:Agricultural census in Portugal
- Data from December 2008, 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 which in most of the European countries was carried out as an agricultural census. This analysis of the farm structure in Portugal includes a comparison with the previous 1999 agricultural census. The Agricultural Census is carried out at least every 10 years in all the EU Member States. Although in Portugal the reference years were 1999 and 2009, the common designation is Agricultural Census 2000 and 2010. The Survey on Agricultural Production Methods (SAPM) was also carried out in 2010 (in most countries together with the FSS). The main findings from SAPM are also included in this article.
Main statistical findings
One in every four farms has disappeared in the last ten years
Number of Holdings
In 2009 there were 305 207 agricultural holdings in Portugal. Since 1999 the number of agricultural holdings decreased 27 %, following the general pattern of European agriculture. This means that during this decade one in every four farms ceased its activity.
Utilized Agricultural Area
The utilized agricultural area (UAA) in Portugal decreased by 5 % in the period 1999-2009. The UAA represents 40 % of the Portuguese territory. The average area of the holding increased from 9.3 to 12 ha in the 10 years between the censuses, this is the direct effect of the bigger holdings absorbing the area of the smaller ones that are closing down. However half of the agricultural holdings in the country have less than 2 ha of UAA. The farms with 50 ha or more of UAA represent 3 % of all Portuguese farms and more than 75 % of the total UAA of Portugal.
Number of workers
The number of persons working in agricultural dropped one third (from 1 million to 0.7 million between 1999 and 2009), but still represents 12.7 % of the economically active population of Portugal.
Livestock
2.2 million livestock units (LSU) were recorded in 2009 in Portugal, less 0.3 million less than in 1999 (-14 %).
Regions
The variation, in terms of the key variables in the structure of the farms, is significantly different within the various regions of Portugal. T2_N0
The Alentejo region, which represents close to 60 % of the UAA and 37 % of the LSU of the country, shows signs of increase in terms of agricultural activity. Although the number of farms has decreased in this region by 17%, the UAA has had a slight increase (0.4%) and the LSU have increased 6% since the 1999 census.
The highest decrease in the number of holdings was in region "Lisboa" where the variation in the number of farms was -38% fowed closely by "Algarve" and "Centro" regions (-35%).
UAA or AA per inhabitant, Portugal, 2009. On average in Portugal there is 0.35 hectares of UAA per inhabitant according to the data of this last agricultural census. This is the equivalent to and the area of a square with around 60 m sides. There was a slight decrease since the 1999 Agriculture Census, when the UAA per inhabitant was 0.38 ha.
If we compare this value with the value of other member states in the 1999/2000 Agricultural Census, Portugal is slightly below the EU27 average (0.41ha).
,_2003.PNG)
Crops
Permanent grassland and meadows has gained importance in the total agricultural area, in 2009 it covered almost half of the Portuguese UAA. This area was taken mostly from the arable land that has decreased 33 % since 1999. The adoption of the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) introduced by the Commom Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the EU after 2005 , detaching the payments from the production of agricultural products contributed to this change from arable land to permanent grassland and meadows. Maintenance of the ratio of the land under permanent pasture in relation to the total agricultural area was one of the components of the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC) that was imposed by the SPS. In addition to this, increase of input costs faced by the farmers (fuel and fertilizers) has not been compensated by the price of the farm products. Maintenance of the land with less production, while still receiving financial support, was considered a better option for farmers.
Arable crops
T4_1 build table with 2000 values
In Potugal the total area of arable crops decreased 33% from 1999 to 2009. This deacrease represents 15% of the UAA. The reduction was due in part to the fall in the area of cereals which was -42% (244 000 ha less in 2009 when compared to the 1999 cereal area). With the exception of barley and rice, all the other areas of cereal droped since the 1999 Census. The area of durum wheat, in particular, droped 85% (from 74 000 in 1999 to 11 000 ha in 2009). The other big contribution to the decrease of the arable land is the reduction of the area of fallow land. This could be explained by the fact that follow land was converted into permanent grassland. The decrease in the area of industrial crops (mainly sunflower) and potatoes also contributed to the overall drop of the arable land.
Permanent Grassland
The area of permanent grassland has increased 28% from 1999 to 2009 in Portugal. The maintanance of the permanent grassland is recognised as being beneficial to the environment, as opposed to massive conversion to arable land. The CAP intended to maintain the existing ratio of permanent grassland/ UAA.In tha case of Portugal the effect was the permanent grassland even replaced some of the arable land. Three different types of permanent grassland are identified in the FSS. The permanent pasture usally used for intensive grazing, the rough(extensive) grazing with a low density of livestock, and also the permanent grassland not used for production but for keeping land in GAEC. In Portugal 25% of the permanent grassland is intensive grazing, 74% is rough grazing and less than 1% is used for keeping land in GAEC. This distribution varies amongst the different regions. the Two extreme examples are Alentejo (19% of intensive grazing and 80% of rough grazing) and Azores (85% of intensive grazing and 15% of rough grazing).
Permanent Crops
The permanent crops in Portugal are 19% of the UAA. The typical Mediterranean olives trees (9%of the UAA) and vineyards (5%) are the main permanent crops in Portugal. The area of permanent crops has had a 3% decrease from 1999 to 2009. But some crops decreased in area, while others have an increase in area: [File:Permanent Crops pt.png|thumb|left|550px|Figure|File:Figure X- Change in area of permanent Crops, FSS, Portugal, 1999-2009]
Livestock
TO BE COMPLETED (...)
Some ideias: Tables- Right side- NUTS 0 – LSU , heads and hold by type of Livestock Link to Same table NUTS2 LSU per inhabitant NUTS = and link to NUTS 2.
Statistics on livestock use two different units of measurement the number of heads (number of animals) and also the Livestock Unit that makes the comparison between different livestock possible. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Glossary:Livestock_unit_(LSU). The bovine livestock in Portugal make up for 47% of the total livestock.
The average number of LSU per holding doubled in the case of holdings with pigs and cattle.
Labour Force
TO BE COMPLETED (...)
Some ideias: From the Portuguese publication: The family labour force lost 443 mil persons. Women are 1/3 of the holders and their percentage has increased by 8 percentual points. (check to see what year is used for comparison). The average age of producers has increased 4 years. (check to see what year is used for comparison).
Check to see the percentage of the persons working in agriculture in the total active population.
Economic Size and Farm Type of Farm
SAPM – see with Annemiek how to coordinate this part.
Irrigated area fell by 23%; The number of tractors increased 10%;
Methodological Notes Portugal – Agricultural Census 2009
The Agricultural Census 2009 was the third Agricultural Census to be carried out in Portugal harmonized with the European legislation. The other editions of the Census were in 1989 and 1999. The Farm Structure Survey (FSS) was also held in 1992, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2005 and 2007; these intermediate surveys were sample surveys. The Portuguese Statistical Institute (INE) in coordination with its regional agencies implemented the FSS 2009 in Portugal.
Reference Period
The data was collected from November 2009 to October 2010 which involved around 2000 technical staff. Different reference periods were used depending on the characteristics being surveyed.
Thresholds for agricultural holdings
The Portuguese definition of an agricultural holding is the reflection of the EU definition: a technical and economic unit which used its own labour and production factors and produces agricultural products (or maintains land in good agricultural and environmental conditions), has a single management, is located in an identifiable place and reaches the following threshold: Mainland - at least 1 ha of Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA) Islands - at least 0.1 ha of Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA) Other thresholds were also applied and took into account the production of the holding. For the characteristics of animal housing of the Survey on Agricultural productions Methods (SAPM) the thresholds were the following: =Bovine animals - 10 heads;
- All pigs - 50 heads;
- Breeding sows - 10 heads;
- All poultry - 1000 heads.
Common Land
In Portugal the area of common land was surveyed as a “common land agricultural holding”. The information on common land was collected from the managing entities by interview. Data was also crosschecked with data available in administrative sources.
Geo-reference of the holding
The georeferencing of the holdings was done by using the geographical coordinates of the centriods (the centre point) of the communes (the lowest administrative units).
Volume of irrigation water
This characteristic was calculated using estimation models based on the soil-water balance. The factors taken into account include: efficiency of irrigation systems, legal personality of the holding, age, educational level and agricultural training of the manager. This model did not include the irrigated area of kitchen gardens (which in 2010 represent only 0.2% of the total UAA).
Other methodological Issues
Variables “Support for rural development – Meeting standards based on Community legislation” and “Support for rural development – Natura 2000 payments for agricultural area” were not collected because the measures were not implemented in the established reference period.
Comparison with the FSS 2007
When comparing the results of the census 1999 with the census 2009 the values for the key variables of the structure of the agricultural holding have a clear tendency to decrease (number of holdings, utilized agricultural area, livestock and labour force). When comparing the same variables of the FSS 2007 and census 2009 there is a general increase. The increase in this 2 year period can be explained by the fact that these two surveys were carried out using quite different methodologies. For the FSS sample Survey in 2007 the sample base was the register created from the 1999 General Agricultural Census. The time gap between the creation of the sample base and its use for the 2007 sampling undermined to some extent the output of the 2007 results. In addition, the sample surveys carried out in 2003, 2005 and 2007 were based on the same panel of holdings, as to obtain information on the structure of the holdings and evaluate their development. As result of this sampling methodology, it is possible that the developments in the general population of the holdings was not completely reflected in the panel of holdings and ultimately in the survey output.
The National Methodological Report for the Portuguese Agricultural Census 2009 is available here: methodological Report FSS 2009, Portugal
Context
European Commission Rural development policy aims to improve competitiveness in agriculture and forestry, improve the environment and countryside, improve the quality of life in rural areas and encourage the diversification of rural economies.
As agriculture has modernized 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, the diversification of the rural economy to create alternative jobs and environmental protection in rural areas.
The FSS continues to adapt to provide timely and relevant data to help analyse and follow these developments.
Further Eurostat information
Publications
- Farm Structure Survey in Portugal - 2007 - Statistics in focus 22/2009
- Methodological Report – FSS 2007 Portugal
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)
See also
External links
[[Category:<Agriculture>|Agricultural census in Portugal]] [[Category:<Statistical article>|Agricultural census in Portugal]]