Agricultural area and livestock (discontinued), 31 July 2000, preliminary figures

After increasing steadily for many years, a decline in the number of cows was registered from 1999 to 2000. The total number of cows fell by 8 100 to 341 400. The number of dairy cows, however, is dropping, while the number of beef cows is rising. The number of beef cows increased by 7 600 to 44 300 in 2000. At the same time the number of dairy cows fell by almost 16 000 to 297 100.

Farms with cows fell by 1 300 holdings to 25 200 farms in 2000. The number of small herds is steadily decreasing, while it is particularly herds of 20 or more cows that are increasing.

The number of dairy goats fell to just under 50 000. Seven hundred farms were registered as having dairy goats.

Small changes in agricultural area

The total agricultural area was 10.3 million decares in 2000, an increase of 36 000 decares from the year before. The grain area was 3.26 million decares, 32 per cent of all agricultural area.

In the past year, the wheat area increased by 32 per cent, to 678 800 decares, although significant variations are common from one year to the next. The barley area fell 11 per cent, to 1.60 million decares. The oil seed area is steadily decreasing, and accounted for only 57 000 decares in 2000.

A total of 20 200 holdings grew grain or oil seeds in 2000. This is 1 500 fewer than the year before. The number of small grain farms is steadily decreasing while the number of farms with at least 200 decares of grain is increasing.

After declining for a period, the potato area increased by about 2 000 decares to 149 600 decares from 1999 to 2000.

Surface cultivated land and pastureland increased from 1999 to 2000 by 68 600 decares, to 1.56 million decares.

The total agricultural area of 10.3 million decares is slightly smaller than what has been registered in the complete Census of Agriculture in 1999. The figure for 2000 is, however, not directly comparable with the figure for the complete census, as the 2000 figures only cover those who applied for production subsidies as of 31 July 2000. In 1999 the agricultural area for those who applied for subsidies accounted for 98.9 per cent of the total area of the complete Census of Agriculture.

Tables:

• Table 1 Agricultural area, by use. 1995-2000
• Table 2 Agricultural area, by county and use
• Table 3 Domestic animals. 1995-2000
• Table 4 Domestic animals, by county
• Table 5 Holdings, by area used for grain and oil seeds. 1995-2000
• Table 6 Holdings with cows, by size of herd. 1995-2000