Agricultural area and livestock (discontinued), 31 July 2012, preliminary figures

The area of open fields and gardens was reduced by 46 000 decares to 3.41 million decares, and the area of meadows for mowing and pastures decreased by 24 000 decares to 6.48 million decares from 2011 to 2012.

The decline in the agricultural area is a result of the improvement of the basis for measurement and control of the agricultural area on the holdings. Digital maps were constructed on the basis of aerial photos, leading to a decline in the agricultural areas compared with the old maps. The new maps were adopted as from 2006, and it is anticipated that all municipalities will use the maps as from 2013. Another important reason for the decline in the agricultural area is that marginal areas are taken out of use.

The total grain area dropped by 52 000 decares to a total of 2.93 million decares in 2012. Barley comprised 53 per cent of the total grain area, while oats and wheat covered 24 and 23 per cent respectively. Holdings cultivating grain had on average 238 decares of grain area in 2012.

Fewer dairy cows

The number of beef cows increased by 1 300 from 2011 to 2012, to a total of 73 200. The number of dairy cows fell by 100 to a total of 233 200 in 2012. In 2012, 22 per cent of holdings with dairy cows had at least 30 dairy cows. Ten years earlier, only 6 per cent of the holdings had at least 30 dairy cows. Beef cows made up 24 per cent of the cows in 2012, compared with 16 per cent in 2003.

Organic farming

Organic farmland covered 469 000 decares of agricultural area in use, corresponding to 4.7 per cent of the total agricultural area in 2012.

A total of 31 100 cattle were approved for organic farming in 2012. About 8 900 of these cattle were dairy cows and 4 000 beef cows.

Tables:

• Table 1 Agricultural area, by use. 1999-2012*. Decares
• Table 2 Domestic animals. 1999-2012*
• Table 3 Agricultural area, by county and use
• Table 4 Cattle, by county . 2012*
• Table 5 Holdings with organic farming and area approved as organically operated. 2003-2012*
• Table 6 Domestic animals by holdings approved for organic farming. 2003-2012*