Agricultural Census has come to an end
According to Statistics Estonia, yesterday, on 15 November, the Agricultural Census conducted for the sixth time in Estonia came to an end. In the course of the Census, data on agricultural activity were collected from nearly 30,000 holdings. Statistics Estonia will release preliminary results of the Census in December.
“Statistics Estonia would like to thank all holdings; all people were very understanding and helpful”, told Ms Eve Valdvee, the Agricultural Census Project Manager. “Next, we are going to process and analyse data, and preliminary Census results will be published on 17 December”, she added.
Under observation during the Agricultural Census, conducted from 1 September until 15 November, were holdings with at least one hectare of utilised agricultural land or where agricultural products were produced mainly for sale.
In the Census, data were collected through e-Census, where households could submit data themselves via the Internet, as well as through face-to-face interviews, in the case of which households were visited by interviewers. “For the first time, holdings had a possibility to submit data during the Agricultural Census via the Internet,” noted Ms Valdvee. 14% of holdings participated in the e-Census. This is a good result in comparison with other European Union countries,” she stated.
Agricultural Census surveys the activities of holdings as a whole — type of ownership of land, management, crop production and livestock farming, labour force and other gainful activities. Depending on circumstances, questionnaires already contained pre-filled data on the land use and animals that had been submitted earlier to the Agricultural Registers and Information Board (ARIB). Only the data not entered in ARIB or any other register were asked for in the Census.
Agricultural Census provides an in-depth overview of the rural economic activity and enables to compare Estonia with other European Union countries. The collected data form a basis for preparing the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union and for decision taking in matters related to agricultural supports.
Agricultural Census was conducted for the sixth time in Estonia. 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 can be found on the website of Statistics Estonia /uudised/ac2010.