Sample survey of agriculture and forestry, 2002, preliminary figures

The number of farms is steadily decreasing, and the decline has increased year by year since 1999. In the second part of the 1990's, the average annual decline in number of farms was 2.3 per cent. The decline from 1999 to 2000 was 3.1 per cent, while the decline the next two years was 4.8 and 5.6 per cent respectively. The estimated figures based on Statistics Norway's Sample Survey of Agriculture and Forestry are some higher than the number of farms applying for governmental grants, as the sample survey also includes farms not applying for governmental grants.

The greatest decline in the number of farms from 2001 to 2002 has occurred in the counties Aust-Agder, Vest-Agder and Finnmark, where the numbers have decreased by 10 per cent. The less significant decrease has occurred in the counties of Rogaland, Oppland and Nord-Trøndelag.

Structural changes continues

The number of large farms are increasing and in 2002 the number of farms with at least 500 decares of agricultural area in use amounted to 2 000. Corresponding figures for 2001 were 1 600. 30 per cent of the farms had at least 200 decares agricultural area in use in 2002, while the figure for 2001 was 24 per cent.

Decrease in agricultural area in use

The preliminary figures for 2002 indicate that for first time in many years there has been a slight decrease in the agricultural area in use. The agricultural area was estimated to 10.3 million decares in 2002, a decrease of 210 000 from the year before. The average size of farms increased from 161 decares in 2001 to 167 decares in 2002.

Tables:

• Table 1 Holdings. 1995-2002*
• Table 2 Holdings, by size of agricultural area in use and county
• Table 3 Agricultural area in use, by size of holding and county. Decares (Corrected 19 December 2002)
• Table 4 Agricultural area per holding, by county. 1969, 1979, 1989 and 1999-2002*. Decares