Statistics Explained

Archive:Agricultural census in Luxembourg

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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. The present analysis of the farm structure includes a comparison with the FSS 2000.

In Luxembourg, the FSS 2000 and the Agricultural census 2010 were carried out using different thresholds[1]. To overcome this methodological issue and draft the present article, the 2000 values were filtered using the 2010 thresholds. Accordingly, the 2000 figures mentioned throughout this article and presented in the tables, or available through hyperlinks, slightly differ from the ones presented in the Eurostat online database. Nonetheless, hyperlinks to the online database are also provided throughout the article.

Table 1: Farm structure, key indicators, Luxembourg, 2000 and 2010
Source: Eurostat (ef_kvaareg) (ef_ov_kvaa) (demo_pjan) and FSS 2000 and 2010
Figure 1: Number of holdings and utilised agriculture area (UAA) by UAA size classes, Luxembourg, 2010 (%)
Source: Eurostat (ef_kvaareg) (ef_ov_kvaa)
Table 2: Economic size of the farm by standard output size classes, Luxembourg, 2007 and 2010 (EUR)
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2007 and 2010
Figure 2: Number of holdings by main type of farming, Luxembourg, 2010 (%)
Source: Eurostat (ef_kvftreg)
Figure 3: Standard output by main type of farming, Luxembourg, 2010 (%)
Source: Eurostat (ef_kvftreg)
Figure 4: Utilised Agricultural Area by land use, Luxembourg, 2000 and 2010 (%)
Source: Eurostat (ef_lu_ovcropaa) (ef_oluaareg)
Table 3: Utilised Agricultural Area by land use, Luxembourg, 2000 and 2010
Source: Eurostat (ef_lu_ovcropaa) (ef_oluaareg)
Figure 5: Livestock by main types, Luxembourg, 2000 and 2010 (1000 LSU)
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2000 and 2010
Table 4: Number of holdings with livestock by LSU size class, Luxembourg, 2000 and 2010
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2000 and 2010
Table 5: Agricultural labour force, Luxembourg, 2000 and 2010
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2000 and 2010
Figure 6: Sole holders by gender, Luxembourg, 2000 and 2010 (%)
Source: Eurostat FSS, 2000 and 2010
Table 6: Utilised agricultural area by type of tenure, Luxembourg, 2010
Source: Eurostat (ef_mptenure)
Table 7: Number of holdings with cattle and places by type of animal housing, Luxembourg, 2010
Source: Source: Eurostat (ef_pmhouscatlaa)
Table 8: Number of holdings by other gainful activities, Luxembourg, 2010
Source: Eurostat FSS 2010
Table 9: Organic farming, number of holdings and utilised agricultural area, Luxembourg, 2010
Source: Eurostat FSS 2000 and 2010

Main statistical findings

Key indicators

Among the European Member States, Luxembourg reported the smallest number of agricultural holdings (2 200) in 2010, with Malta (12 530) scoring the second lowest value. Over the 2000-2010 timeframe, 540 farms ceased their activities as 2 740 holdings were reported in 2000 (see table 1).

The utilised agricultural area (UAA) experienced an opposite trend, as it actually gained 3 710 hectares: from 127 400 ha in 2000 to 131 110 ha in 2010 (+2.9 %). Accordingly, it covered about half of the country’s territory in 2010, one of the highest shares recorded within the EU-28.

In Luxembourg, a rather limited number of holdings were found to cover wide agricultural land, as the reported average area per holding was quite large (59.6 ha per farm) in 2010: it actually increased by 13 hectares over the timeframe under analysis. From among the other EU Member States, the average area per holding was found to be large also in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

As largely observed throughout the EU-28, also in Luxembourg the number of people regularly working in the agriculture sector fell between 2000 and 2010 (-35 %): in absolute terms, 2 2000 people stopped working on the farms between the two reference years. Accordingly, the agricultural labour force represented only 1.8 % of the Luxembourgish active population[2] in 2010, one of the lowest shares recorded among the EU Member States.

Also the farm animal population – expressed in livestock units (LSU) – decreased (-2.6 %), from 172 140 LSU in 2000 to 167 660 LSU in 2010; Malta (41 650 LSU) and Cyprus (200 750 LSU) recorded comparable values.

Agricultural holdings

As presented in Figure 1, farms with at least 50 hectares of agricultural land were found to be the most common: they represented about half (49 %) of the entire population of agricultural holdings and covered 86 % of the country’s agricultural land in 2010. In terms of the number of holdings, also farms with 30 to 49.9 ha of agricultural land reported a remarkable share (11 %) – they accounted for 9 850 hectares of UAA (8 %) – whereas farms with 5 to 9.9 ha of agricultural area recorded the only other double digit percentage (10 %), even though they covered a marginal 1 % of the Luxembourgish agricultural land.

Economic size of the farm

As exhibited in Table 2, the economic size of the Luxemburgish agricultural holdings indicated the value of EUR 268 million; from among the other European Member States, Cyprus (EUR 459 million) and Malta (EUR 95 million) recorded similar values. In Luxemburg, the economic size of agricultural holdings, a value which is calculated by adding all the standard output (SO) per hectare of crop and per head of livestock of the farms, increased by 18.6 % (+ EUR 42 million) over the period under analysis. However, this increase was not evenly distributed among all classes of farms, as small and medium-sized holdings – those with a Standard Output of less than EUR 100 000 – experienced an opposite trend (-14.3 %). Indeed, growth was reported only by farms with an economic size of at least EUR 100 000, which expanded by 27 %: this increase is even more significant if the fact that this class of farms accounted for 85 % of the total Standard Output of the Luxembourgish farms in 2010 is taken into account.

Agricultural holding by main type of farming

In terms of both the number of holdings and the main type of farming, farms specialised in dairying were the most common: they shared 26.9 % of the entire population of farms in 2010. As exhibited in Figure 2, the second highest share was reported by farms specialised in cattle-rearing and fattening (18.3 %), whereas holdings dedicated to the production of vineyards scored 16 %, followed by farms dedicated to sheep, goats and other grazing livestock, which reported the lowest double digit share (11.9 %).

If the economic size of the holdings is taken in to account, the ranking looks different and indicates the prevalence of dairying as the main type of production, with farms specialised in dairying accounting for 46.8 % of the total SO in 2010. Also farms dedicated to cattle-dairying, rearing and fattening combined reported a remarkable share (17.5%), whereas holdings dedicated to any other type of production fell below the 10 % threshold.

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. Generally, it is taken up by arable land, permanent grassland and meadow, permanent crops and kitchen gardens.

In Luxembourg, the agricultural area consists essentially of arable land and permanent grassland and meadow, as together these two components accounted for 99 % of the country’s UAA in 2010 – the very same share they reported in 2000. Arable land remained quite stable over the years, only gaining 350 hectares; on the contrary, the area dedicated to permanent grassland and meadow reported a 5.1 % increase (+3 290 ha).

Arable land

The Luxembourgish arable land consists mainly of cereals and fodder crops (see Table 3). Cereals reported the highest share – 22.7 % of the country’s UAA – and indicated the value of 29 710 hectares in 2010: +2 120 hectares compared to 2000. On the contrary, fodder crops lost 1 180 hectares between the two reference years and indicated the value of 25 540 ha in 2010.

Permanent grassland

The land dedicated to permanent grassland and meadow covered the largest portion of the Luxemburgish agricultural area in 2010. Pasture and meadow were the main components of this type of land and accounted for 67 330 hectares in 2010, covering 51.4 % of the Luxemburgish UAA: +3 030 ha compared to 2000.

Livestock

Statistics on livestock use two different units of measurement: the number of heads (number of animals) and the livestock units (LSU), the latter of which allows comparison between different types.

In Luxembourg, 167 660 LSU were reported in 2010 (see Table 4), a value which indicates a slight decrease (-2.6 %) compared to 2000. In relative terms, there were 0.33 LSU per inhabitant, whereas the corresponding value was higher in 2000 – 0.40 LSU per inhabitant – as the Luxembourgish population grew (+15.7 %) while the number of farm animals dropped (-2.6 %) over the timeframe under analysis.

Accounting for 85 % of the entire population of farm animals, cattle were found to be the most important livestock and indicated the value of 143 230 LSU in 2010. Pigs were the second most important farm animals (10.8 %), although they reported a decrease compared to 2000 (- 3.7 %).

As largely observed throughout the EU-28, also in Luxembourg the number of holdings with livestock decreased over the 2000-2010 decade (- 500 farms). As the fall in the number of farms with livestock (-22.5 %) was sharper than the decrease in the total population of farms (-19.7 %), the ratio between holdings with farm animals and the total number of agricultural holdings dropped, from 81 % in 2000 to 78 % in 2010. The average number of LSU per farm followed an opposite trend, as the decrease in the livestock (-2.6 %) was much smaller than the drop in the number of farms with livestock (-22.5 %); hence, on average, there were 97 LSU per farm in 2010, whereas the corresponding value recorded in 2000 was 77.

Labour force

According to the Agricultural census 2010, 4 960 people were working on the Luxembourgish farms, a value which corresponds to a 21.1% decrease compared to 2000. If the annual work unit (AWU) is used to measure the agricultural labour force, the decrease looks very similar, as figures dropped from 4 310 AWU to 3 530 AWU (-18.1 %).

The gender distinction – analysed through the number of sole holders – appeared to decrease slightly, as the share of female sole holders moved from 19 % in 2000 to 21 % in 2010.

Management practices

Type of tenure

The Luxembourgish agricultural land is mostly (58.5%) farmed by the tenants, as only 40.8 % of the country’s UAA was found to be farmed by the landlords in 2010. As presented in Table 6, the agricultural land utilised in partnership by the landlord and the sharecropper under a written or oral share-farming contract is marginal (0.7 %) in Luxembourg.

Animal housing

With 1 460 holdings farming 198 830 heads of cattle, Luxembourg was among the EU Member States with the lowest number of farms with cattle: only Cyprus (280) and Malta (290) recorded lower values in 2010. Nonetheless, the number of places (213 320) slightly exceeded the number of heads of cattle in Luxembourg, explaining why the related percentage was found to be more than 100 (see Table 7).

Both in terms of the number of holdings (88.4%) and places (47.4 %), the type of housing where the animals are free to move with solid dung and liquid manure proved to be the most common in 2010.

Other gainful activities

In Luxembourg, there were 530 holdings with activities other than farm work, directly related to the holding and having an economic impact on the farm in 2010 (see Table 8). This value, together with the ones recorded in Malta (270) and Cyprus (390), was found to be among the lowest within the EU-28 in 2010, though it accounted for about 24 % of the Luxembourgish population of holdings.

Information on other gainful activities was collected by eleven category types depending on their characteristics – one holding could register more than one activity.

The most common extra source of income proved to be contractual work – recorded in 250 farms – which could take the form of contractual agricultural work (240 farms) and contractual non-agricultural work (50 holdings).

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.

Only a small share of farms (2.7 %) in Luxembourg proved to practice organic farming, covering merely 2.6 % of the country’s UAA in 2010.

Data sources and availability

Methodological notes Luxembourg – Agricultural census 2010

Luxembourg conducts the Farm Structure Survey on a yearly basis since 1953; both the Service d’Économie Rurale and STATEC – the National Statistical Office – are involved in the data collection, though STATEC is the responsible body.

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 the specifications listed in Annex V of the above mentioned regulation, namely data on tillage methods, soil conservation, landscape features, animal grazing, animal housing, manure application, manure storage and treatment facilities and irrigation.

In Luxembourg, the SAPM was conducted as an exhaustive survey using the same thresholds applied for the Agricultural census 2010. 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

Information on the agricultural land was collected with reference to the 1st of April 2010; data on farm animals refer to the 15th of May 2010; characteristics of labour force were collected with reference to the 12 months prior to the 15th of May, whereas information on rural development features refers to the 2007-2009 timeframe.

Threshold for agricultural holdings

In compliance with EC Regulation 1166/2008 of 19 November 2008, the target population included all the agricultural holdings with at least three hectares of UAA or 0.25 hectares of land dedicated to the production of either fresh vegetables, melons and strawberries or flowers and ornamental plants. Farms with at least 0.30 ha of agricultural area dedicated to the cultivation of fruit and berry plantation, or at least 0.50 ha of nurseries were also surveyed. Moreover, holdings falling below these thresholds but complying with a set of different physical thresholds, related to certain heads of livestock, were also included in the target population.

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 Luxembourg common land is a non-existent feature.

Geo-reference of the holding

Information on the location of the farm refers to the municipality and section municipality of the major building (or the largest portion of agricultural area) of the holding.

Economic size

From FSS 2007 onwards, 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.

Other methodological issues

Comparability between FSS 2000 and FSS 2010

In Luxembourg, the thresholds used for the FSS 2010 differ from the ones employed in the previous waves of the survey. This alteration did not result in a major change in the target population, as the new thresholds, if applied to the 2000 dataset, underestimate the population of agricultural holdings only by 2.8 % and disregard only a small portion of UAA (0.09 %). Nonetheless, to draft the present article and compare the FSS 2000 with the Agricultural census 2010, the 2000 dataset was filtered using the thresholds employed in 2010. Therefore, the 2000 figures mentioned within this article and presented in the tables (or available through hyperlinks) slightly differ from the ones presented in the Eurostat online database. Nonetheless, hyperlinks to the online database were also provided throughout the article.

Context

European Commission Rural development policy aims to improve competitiveness in agriculture and forestry, the environment and the countryside, as well as to improve the quality of life in rural areas, and to encourage the diversification of rural economies.

As agriculture has been modernised and the importance of industry and services within the economy has increased, 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

Main tables

Structure of agricultural holdings (t_ef)

Database

Structure of agricultural holdings (ef)

Dedicated section

Methodology / Metadata

Source data for tables and figures (MS Excel)

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

  1. The full description of the thresholds used in 2010 and the differences with the ones used in the previous waves of the FSS is presented in the National Methodological Report 2010: pages 10 - 11
  2. 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)