Average size of agricultural holding in Latvia is increasing
Staff Writer |
Provisional data of the Farm Structure Survey 2016 compiled by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that, in 2016 the average size of agricultural holding constituted 43.2 ha.
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This is 15.5% more than in 2013 when the average land area per holding accounted for 37.4 ha.
The total standard output (SO) (1) has risen by 24.5%, nevertheless the number of economically active farms has reduced by 14.5%.
The utilised agricultural area (UAA) on average per holding grew by 20% (from 23.0 ha in 2013 to 27.6 ha in 2016).
In 2016, one agricultural holding employed on average 2.3 persons, which is 9.5% more than in 2013.
The largest farms were located in Zemgale and Kurzeme, where one holding on avrage managed 35.7 ha and 33.6 ha of UAA, respectively.
Area of grain per holding rose by 3.6 ha – from 24.7 ha in 2013 to 28.3 ha in 2016.
Areas of potato plantations have grown as well – from 0.6 ha in 2013 to 0.9 ha in 2016, and areas of forage crops increased by 2.9 ha reaching 17.2 ha on average per holding in 2016. Last year, sown areas of rape reduced by 9.3 ha to 50.4 ha on average per holding.
In 2016, in Latvia there were 69.9 thousand economically active agricultural holdings, which were managing 1930.0 thousand ha of the UAA.
Since 2013, the number of economically active agricultural holdings has decreased by 11.9 thousand or 14.5%, whereas UAA has increased by 52.3 thousand ha or 2.8%.
Out of the total UAA, 1288.9 thousand ha or 66.8% were taken by arable land, 628.1 thousand ha or 32.5% – by meadows and pastures, and 6.9 thousand ha or 0.4% – by permanent crops.
Compared to 2013, last year the number of small holdings, which are managing less than 1 ha of UAA, reduced significantly – by 5.6 thousand. In 2016, 6.1 thousand agricultural holdings with UAA exceeding 50 ha managed 67.1% of the total UAA, which is 9.4% more than in 2013. ■
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