Archive:The EU in the world - agriculture, forestry and fisheries
- Data extracted in March 2016. Most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database. Planned article update: May 2017.
This article is part of a set of statistical articles based on Eurostat’s publication The EU in the world 2016.
The article focuses on statistics related to agriculture, forestry and fishing in the European Union (EU) and in the 15 non-EU members of the Group of Twenty (G20) and gives an insight into the EU’s agriculture, forestry and fisheries activities in comparison with the major economies in the rest of the world, such as its counterparts in the so-called Triad — Japan and the United States — and the BRICS composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
(% of the specified population)
Source: Eurostat (lfsi_grt_a) and ILOSTAT
(million tonnes)
Source: Eurostat (apro_acs_a) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT: Production)
(kg per inhabitant)
Source: Eurostat (apro_acs_a) and (demo_gind), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT: Production) and United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2015). World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision
(thousand tonnes)
Source: Eurostat (apro_acs_a) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT: Production)
(thousand tonnes)
Source: Eurostat (apro_mt_pann), (apro_mt_sloth), (apro_mk_pobta) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT: Production)
(kg per inhabitant)
Source: Eurostat (apro_mt_pann), (apro_mt_sloth), (apro_mk_pobta), (demo_gind), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT: Production) and United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2015). World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision
(thousand m3)
Source: Eurostat (for_basic), (for_swpan) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT: Forestry)
(thousand tonnes)
Source: Eurostat (tag00076), (fish_ca_main_h), (fish_aq_q) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FishStatJ)
_per_inhabitant,_2004_and_2014.png)
(kg per inhabitant)
Source: Eurostat (tag00076), (fish_ca_main_h), (fish_aq_q) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FishStatJ)
Main statistical findings
Agricultural area
42.5 % of the EU-28 area was occupied by agriculture
The total agricultural area (including unused agricultural land) of the EU-28 was 186.4 million hectares (100 hectares is one km2) in 2013, 42.5 % of its total land area. The ratio of total agricultural area to land area (shown in Figure 1) shows that the EU-28’s share was above the world average (37.9 %). From 2003 to 2013 there was a 1.9 percentage point (pp) reduction in the share of the EU-28’s agricultural land. India, Mexico, China, Argentina and Australia presented a percentage of agricultural land of more than 50 % that remained very stable in the last decade (some changes were recorded in Argentina and Australia). In all the other countries the share was under 50 %, and in the case of South Korea, Russia, Japan and Canada, agricultural land represented less than 20 % of the total area.
Labour force in agriculture
Less than one tenth of the labour force were active in agriculture, hunting, fishing and forestry in most G20 members in 2014
Less than one tenth of the labour force was working in agriculture, hunting, fishing and forestry in most G20 members in 2014. Nevertheless, this share rose to 20.0 % (total women and men) or higher in Indonesia, China (2011 data) and Turkey with the highest share registered in India (2010 data) at 51.1 %. The share of agriculture hunting, fishing and forestry labour force, in the EU-28 was 5.0 % (3.8 % for women and 6.0 % for men).
In the majority of G20 members, the share of the agricultural hunting, fishing and forestry labour was higher for men than for women (see Figure 2). This was most notably the case in Mexico where there was a difference of 13.1 pp between the shares for men and women. In India 65.3 % of the women employed in 2010 worked in agriculture hunting, fishing and forestry compared to 46.1 % of men, while in Turkey it was close to one third in 2014 for women, which more than doubled the share of active men. The gender differences in the employment rates should be taken into account: even in countries where the share of active women in agriculture hunting, fishing and forestry is higher than the share of active men, the number of women working in this sector is lower than the number of men, because in general the number of working women (female employment rate) is lower compared to men.
Agricultural products
The production of a range of selected crops across the G20 members is presented in Table 1 which refers to the amount of harvested production. The G20 countries produced close to three quarters of the global harvests of the five selected crops included in Table 1 Brazil (38.8 %) dominated the production of ‘sugar cane’ among the G20 members in 2014, followed by India and China. The United States (35.3 %) and China (21.1 %) were the largest producers of ‘maize’. ‘Rice’ production in G20 members was dominated by China and India. The EU-28 had the highest ‘wheat’ production, followed by China. At the top of ‘potato’ production were China, the EU-28 and India.
Between 2004 and 2014, the G20 production of the five selected crops increased although ‘maize’ was the only crop that increased in all the countries. 2014 was a record year for world cereal production reaching over 2.5 billion tonnes [1], linked to the increase in ‘maize’ production in both China and the United States as well as the higher ‘rice’ production in Asia (China, India and Indonesia). ‘Potatoes’ was the crop with the smallest growth, having decreased in nine G20 members, with the steepest decrease in the EU-28 (– 17.1 %).
Australia had the highest production of cereals per inhabitant
Four G20 members together produced three quarters of the production of cereals among the G20 members in 2014, and close to three fifths of the worldwide cereal production, with output in China close to 560 million tonnes, ahead of the United States, the EU-28 and India. Relative to the size of population, Australia had the highest production of cereals in 2014, 1.6 tonnes per inhabitant, followed by Canada, the United States and Argentina, all with more than 1.2 tonne of production per inhabitant. Compared with 2004, cereals production per inhabitant increased by 58.5 % to 54.7 % in or more in Brazil and Argentina respectively, whereas it fell 72.5 % in Saudi Arabia and 17.7 % in South Korea (see Figure 3).
The production level for a selection of fruits is presented in Table 2. Among the G20 members, the EU-28 was by far the largest producer of ‘grapes’ in 2014, the second largest producer of ‘apples’, and the third largest producer of ‘watermelons’. The cultivation of ‘bananas’ is not widespread among the G20 members, but India and China together accounted for 37.7 % of the world’s production estimated at 106 million tonnes in 2014. China was also the lead producer of ‘apples’, ‘peaches and nectarines’ and also ‘watermelons’, while Brazil was the top producer of ‘oranges’ in 2014 with close to one quarter of the world’s total harvest.
The EU-28 had the largest production of milk among G20 members
Meat production covers the carcass weight of slaughtered animals, whose meat is declared fit for human consumption. Half or more of the total meat production in Argentina and Australia was bovine meat, while similar levels of specialisation were recorded in China, the EU-28, South Korea and Canada for pig meat, and in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, South Africa and Brazil for poultry meat (see Table 3).
Overall, the level of meat production per inhabitant was highest in Australia, with an average of 193 kg per inhabitant, far ahead of the United States, Argentina, Canada and Brazil where meat production also exceeded 100 kg per inhabitant (see Figure 4). The lowest level of meat production was in India, where the average was 4.9 kg per inhabitant; this low level may to some degree reflect the predominant religious beliefs in this country. Production of milk relative to population size in the EU-28 (311 kg per inhabitant) was the second highest within the G20 members in 2014, with Australia in the lead (409 kg per inhabitant). By far the lowest level of milk production per inhabitant was recorded in Indonesia.
Forestry
Forests occur under a huge variety of climatic, geographic, ecological and socio-economic conditions and are an essential part of the natural environment. They have an impact on water resources, act as a stabiliser for the Earth’s climate, provide shelter to animal and plant life, provide food, medicinal and cosmetic resources, genetic breeding stock, seeds for cultivation, wood and similar materials to be used for manufacturing, construction and as a fuel. Forestry also provides employment in many rural areas and diverse opportunities for outdoor recreation attracting tourists.
In Japan, South Korea and Brazil, forests took up more than 50 % of the territory in 2013 while the share in Indonesia and Russia was just below half (see Figure 5). In 2003, more than half (51.5 %) of Indonesia was made of forest land, but decreased to 48.3 % in 2013. In all the other countries forests took up less than 50 % of the land, and in Australia, Turkey, Argentina, South Africa and Saudi Arabia the share of forestry in the total land use was 16.0 % or below in 2013. Four of the G20 members, China, Turkey and India and the EU-28, there was an increase in the share of forest over 1.0 pp from 2003 to 2013. On the other hand, deforestation affected Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina and South Korea, where the percentage of forest decreased by at least 1.1 pp.
Ownership is a key element in forest management given the all the challenges that arise from having large areas of forest land divided by many landowners. In 2010, 42.1 % or less of forest was state owned in the Unites states, Japan, South Korea, Mexico and the EU-28. In the other countries public forests had the highest percentages of the total forest land with values varying from 99.9 % in Turkey to 57.4 % in China (see Figure 6).
The EU-28 was the largest producer of roundwood and sawnwood among G20 members
Roundwood production in the EU-28 reached 425 million m3 (11.5 % of the world total) in 2014, making the EU-28 the largest producer within the G20 (see Table 4) followed by the United States, India and China. Roundwood production (also known as removals) comprises all quantities of wood removed from the forest and other wooded land, or other tree felling sites. The EU-28 was also the largest producer of sawnwood, with an output of 102 million m3 in 2014, equivalent to 23.2 % of the world total, followed by the United States and China. Sawnwood is produced either by sawing lengthways or by a profile-chipping process and, with a few exceptions, is greater than 6 millimetres (mm) in thickness.
Fisheries
Aside from fish farming, fish are not owned until they have been caught, and so fish stocks continue to be regarded as a common resource, requiring collective management. This has led to a range of policies and international agreements that regulate the amount of fishing, as well as the types of fishing techniques and gear used to catch fish.
The fish catch refers to all catches of fishery products (including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and other aquatic animals, residues and aquatic plants) taken by all types and classes of fishing units that are operating in inland, inshore, offshore and high-seas fishing areas. The catch statistics exclude quantities of fishery products which are caught but which, for a variety of reasons, are not landed.
Aquaculture (also known as fish farming) refers to the farming of aquatic (freshwater or saltwater) organisms, such as fish, molluscs, crustaceans and plants for human use or consumption, under controlled conditions. Aquaculture implies some form of intervention in the natural rearing process to enhance production, including regular stocking, feeding and protection from predators.
The largest fish catch among G20 members was reported for China, some 3.6 times the level for the EU-28
The total fish catch by the EU-28 fishing fleet was 4.8 million tonnes in 2014, 15 % less than the quantity that had been caught 10 years earlier (see Table 5). The largest fish catch among G20 members in 2014 was reported for China, some 3.6 times the level for the EU-28. Indonesia and the United States also recorded larger fish catches than the EU-28.
Aquaculture production in the EU-28 was estimated at 1.2 million tonnes in 2014, far behind that of China (58.8 million tonnes), Indonesia and India, as well as somewhat less than that of South Korea. Between 2004 and 2014, aquaculture production fell in Japan, the United States, the EU-28 and Canada, while it increased in all other G20 members, most notably in Indonesia where it increased close to ten-fold and in Turkey, Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Brazil where it more than doubled.
Relative to population size, the EU-28’s combined fish catch and aquaculture production was estimated at 11.8 kg per inhabitant in 2013, a relatively low level compared with most other G20 members (see Figure 7). The highest levels of production were in Indonesia and South Korea, both with more than 60 kg per inhabitant.
Data sources and availability
The statistical data in this article were extracted during March 2016.
The indicators are often compiled according to international — sometimes global — standards. Although most data are based on international concepts and definitions there may be certain discrepancies in the methods used to compile the data.
EU data
Most if not all of the indicators presented for the EU have been drawn from Eurobase, Eurostat’s online database. Eurobase is updated regularly, so there may be differences between data appearing in this article and data that is subsequently downloaded.
G20 members from the rest of the world
For the 15 non-EU G20 members, the data presented have been extracted from a range of international sources, namely the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAOSTAT and FISHSTATJ) of the United Nations the World Bank, the International Labour Organization (ILOSTAT). For some of the indicators shown a range of international statistical sources are available, each with their own policies and practices concerning data management (for example, concerning data validation, correction of errors, estimation of missing data, and frequency of updating). In general, attempts have been made to use only one source for each indicator in order to provide a comparable analysis between the members.
Context
The importance of agriculture, forestry and fishing goes far beyond their simple economic function, reflecting the role of these activities within society and the contribution and impact of their resources on the environment. In this respect, some of the most frequently discussed concerns include the protection of the environment, sustainable practices for farming, forestry and fishing, food safety and security, animal welfare and broader perspectives relating to rural development.
See also
- All articles on the non-EU countries
- Agricultural output, price indices and income
- Farm structure statistics
- Fishery statistics
- Forestry statistics
- Other articles from The EU in the world
Further Eurostat information
Publications
- The EU in the world 2015
- Agriculture, forestry and fishery statistics — 2015 edition
- The European Union and the African Union — 2014 edition
- Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) — A statistical portrait — 2014 edition
- Key figures on the enlargement countries — 2014 edition
- Pocketbook on Euro-Mediterranean statistics — 2013 edition
- The European Union and the BRIC countries
- The European Union and the Republic of Korea — 2012
- Key data on education in Europe 2012
Main tables
- Fisheries, see:
- Catches in all fishing regions (tag00076)
Database
- Agriculture, see:
- Farm structure (ef)
- Agricultural production (apro)
- Crops products (apro_cp)
- Crops products: areas and productions (apro_cpp)
- Crops products - annual data (apro_cpp_crop)
- Crops products: areas and productions (apro_cpp)
- Livestock and meat (apro_mt)
- Meat production (apro_mt_p)
- Slaughtering in slaughterhouses - annual data (apro_mt_pann)
- Meat production (apro_mt_p)
- Crops products (apro_cp)
- Forestry, see:
- Removals, production and trade (for_rpt)
- Roundwood production and trade (for_rptt)
- Roundwood, fuelwood and other basic products (for_basic)
- Production and trade in primary products (for_rptp)
- Sawnwood and panels (for_swpan)
- Roundwood production and trade (for_rptt)
- Sustainable forest management (for_sfm)
- Assets (for_sfmas)
- Forest area (for_area)
- Assets (for_sfmas)
- Fisheries, see:
- Aquaculture production by species (fish_aq)
- Production from aquaculture excluding hatcheries and nurseries (from 2008 onwards) (fish_aq2a)
- Aquaculture production (until 2007) (fish_aq08)
- Aquaculture production in quantities (1984-2007) - tonnes live weight (fish_aq_q)
- Population change – Demographic balance and crude rates at national level (demo_gind)
- Population (demo_pop)
- Regional data (demopreg)
- Area by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_d3area)
- Regional data (demopreg)
Dedicated section
Source data for tables and figures (MS Excel)
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries: tables and figures
External links
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- World Bank
- International Labour Organization
Notes
- ↑ FAO news article: 2014 seen as record year for world cereal production.