Decline in arable land

Published:

Arable land fell by 42 800 decares from 2016 to 2017, according to preliminary statistics. Both temporary grassland and other crops on arable land decreased. The area of infield pasture land expanded.

Figure 1. Number of holdings

Number of holdings
1999 70740
2000 68539
2001 65607
2002 61890
2003 58231
2004 55507
2005 53003
2006 51218
2007 49935
2008 48825
2009 47688
2010 46624
2011 45612
2012 44794
2013 43726
2014 43022
2015 42018
2016 41121
2017* 40269

A total of 40 300 agricultural holdings operated a total of 9.84 million decares of agricultural area in 2017. Arable land dropped by 42 800 decares last year, while infield pastureland increased by 50 000 decares. Since 2010, the utilised agricultural area has dropped by 218 900 decares, corresponding to 2.2 per cent. The number of holdings fell by 850 from 2016 to 2017.

In 2017, the utilised agricultural area was composed of 8.0 million decares of arable land, 0.2 million decares of surface-cultivated land (permanent pasture and meadow) and 1.6 million decares of infield pastureland. Average utilised area per holding was 244 decares, an increase of 5 decares since 2016 and 29 decares since 2010.

1 Refers to holdings with at least 5 decares agricultural area in use.

2 Joint operations etc. with less than 5 decares agricultural area in use are included.

Figure 2. Agricultural area per holding

Agricultural area per holding
1979¹ 76.1
1989¹ 99.7
1999² 146.8
2004² 187.3
2010² 215.8
2011² 219.0
2012² 221.7
2013² 225.8
2014² 229.4
2015² 234.7
2016² 239.2
2017*² 244.4

Reduction in cattle

The total number of cattle fell by 11 100 from 2016 to 2017. Beef cows increased by 7 200, while dairy cows and other cattle dropped by 5 200 and 13 100 respectively. Average herd size was 27 dairy cows and 18 beef cows in 2017, compared with 21 and 13 in 2010 respectively.

The number of sheep aged one year and over rose by 1.7 per cent from 2016 to 2017 and amounted to 971 100. In the same period, dairy goats dropped by 4 600 and came to 30 400. In 2017, the average herds of sheep and goats had 68 sheep aged one year and over and 111 dairy goats respectively.

Figure 3. Number of animals per holding keeping various kinds of animal

Cattle Dairy cow Beef cow Sheep 1 year and over Dairy goat Pig for breeding
1999 34.3 13.8 6.7 42.1 68.9 27.2
2010 51.7 21.4 13.4 62.4 91.2 66.6
2017* 62.9 27.4 17.7 68 110.6 85.9

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