The Agricultural Census survey begins today

As opposed to previous Agricultural Censuses, interviewers will complete Agricultural Census questionnaires using a note-book computer. “This method of data collection offers a higher level of security than the completing of paper applications,” explained Eve Valdvee, Statistics Estonia’s Project Manager of the Agricultural Census. “Interviewers forward collected data each day to the Statistics Estonia server. This makes the process of data processing significantly faster, while also creating an overview of the progress of data collection”.

All 132 Agricultural Census interviewers have received in-depth training from Statistics Estonia. “Interviewers always begin by first presenting a valid certificate of employment issued by Statistics Estonia which bears a photograph of the interviewer, and then agree on a suitable time for the interview," explained Valdvee. “If necessary, the holder of the household can confirm who the interviewer for his or her area is by calling Statistics Estonia’s customer service at 625 9100”.

Statistics Estonia interviewers visit households on all days of the week, from 9.00-21.00. Completion of the Census questionnaire takes approximately 45 minutes.

All legal persons and private persons having registered as users of eSTAT before 19.07.2010 may submit data via eSTAT until 1 October. For all other private persons, the e-Census ended on Friday. A total of 2350 households submitted data via e-Census from 1-10 September. “This means that nearly 10% of households on the census list have submitted data in Statistics Estonia’s electronic data transmission environment eSTAT. This is an excellent result”, said Eve Valdvee.

Under observation during the Agricultural Census are households with at least one hectare of utilised agricultural land or where agricultural products are produced mainly for sale. There are nearly 30 000 households of this type in Estonia. “Since a number of the households on the census list have already submitted data via e-Census, interviewers have approximately 24 000 households to visit," noted Valdvee.

The Agricultural Census will provide an comprehensive overview of agriculture, and on the basis of Census results it will be possible to compare Estonia with other EU Member States. The collected data would form a basis for preparing the Common Agricultural Policy of EU and for decision taking in the matters related to agricultural subsidies.

The Agricultural Census will be conducted for the sixth time in Estonia. The previous Agricultural Censuses were organised in 1919, 1925, 1929, 1939, and after the restoration of independence in 2001. In the European Union countries, Agricultural Censuses are conducted in 2009 and 2010. In the European Union countries, Agricultural Censuses take place every ten years.

Additional information on the 2010 Agricultural Census is available on the Statistics Estonia webpage http://www.stat.ee/ac2010