Agricultural Census 2010
On results of Agricultural Census 2010
The Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) has compiled results of the Agricultural Census 2010 and Survey on Agricultural Production Methods. Within the framework of the Census 92.7 thousand agricultural holdings or 86.5% of all holdings economically active at the beginning of 2010 managing 98.7% of utilised agricultural area (UAA) were surveyed. As a result the information was acquired on 90.5 thousand agricultural holdings or 97.6% of the surveyed holdings.
The Agricultural Census included agricultural holdings AA in which comprised 1 ha or standard output (SO)i of which exceeded 70 EUR regardless the area. 20 thousand of these holdings were included in the Survey on Agricultural Production Methods.
Reference period of Agricultural Census 2010 for the number of livestock - July 1, 2010 and for labour force in agriculture - 12 months before the reference period - from July 1, 2009 till June 30, 2010.
Number of agricultural holdings surveyed in Agricultural Census 2010
| Number | % | |
Surveyed holdings | 92696 | 100.0 | |
Completely filled in questionnaires | 83394 | 90.0 | |
No information was acquired | 2189 | 2.4 | |
Reasons for not obtaining information: |
|
| |
| respondent was not met | 2152 | 2.3 |
| respondent refused to answer | 37 | 0.04 |
Questionnaires were not filled in | 7113 | 7.7 | |
Reasons for not filling in the questionnaire: |
|
| |
| land sold, leased out, is not used | 3901 | 7.4 |
| other reasons | 212 | 0.2 |
In Agricultural Census new data collection methods were applied: laptop computers were used in the interviews, telephone interviews were organised, as well as respondents had an opportunity to fill in the questionnaires on the Internet with the help of the new system CASIS CAWI.
| Number of surveyed agricultural holdings by method of data acquisition |
|---|
 |
As a result of the Census the data were acquired on:
- holdings generally, their holders and managers;
- land use;
- number of livestock;
- organic farming systems;
- agricultural buildings utilised and machinery used on holdings;
- labour force;
- other gainful activities of holdings;
In the Survey on Agricultural Production methods the information was obtained on:
- tillage methods and soil conservation methods used on holdings;
- utilised animal housing facilities and manure storage facilities;
- irrigation methods applied on holdings.
With an aim to reduce the respondent burden and time of the interview the administrative data sources were used. The Agricultural Data Centre (ADC) provided information on number of cattle, sheep, goats and horses on holdings, but information on rural support payments for holdings was acquired from the Integrated Administrative Control System of the Rural Support Service. For data comparison also the ADC data base of agricultural holdings dealing with the organic farming and the State Revenue Service (SRS) data base on number of employees engaged in agricultural business were used.
The information on progress, as well as on provisional and final results of the Agricultural Census 2010 is published on the CSB Web Page in several press releases:
- 1st provisional results (general information) in a press release of December 2010 -
http://www.csb.gov.lv/en/notikumi/provisional-results-agricultural-census-2010-27452.html - 2nd provisional results in a press release of May 2011 -
http://www.csb.gov.lv/en/notikumi/provisional-results-agricultural-census-2010-31977.html - final results in a press release of December 2011 -
http://www.csb.gov.lv/en/notikumi/final-results-agricultural-census-2010-32185.html - and results in a CSB Web Page data base at the end of December 2011 -
http://data.csb.gov.lv
The data file of the Agricultural Census 2010 will be sent to the Eurostat until the end of March 2012.
In the 1st quarter of 2012 a publication "Agricultural Census of Latvia 2010" will be released.
i Standard indicator characterising the economic activity of agricultural holding, i.e., value acquired from one hectare of agricultural crops one or livestock head (unit), estimated at prices of corresponding region and expressed in EUR.