Czech Ag Census 2010 Confirms Largest Farm Size
CZECH REPUBLIC - The Czech Republic average farm size is the largest within the EU. Plant production is dominated by grains, where the Czech Republic produces exportable surplus. Animal production is on the decline, and market for animal products (mainly pork and dairy products) is now dominated by imports from other EU states, mainly old member states that receive higher agricultural subsidies.
3 January 2012
2 minute read
Czech Agricultural Census 2010 is a part of agricultural monitoring taking place every ten years in which all European Union countries as well as Norway and Sweden participate. The main goal is to summarise information on Agriculture in the Czech Republic, its structure, orientation, and major interests. This year also methods of agricultural production are included which should give a brief overview on the influence that agriculture has on the environment.
The Czech Republic has the largest average size of farms within the EU (84.2 Ha) as well as the highest number of employees per farm (4.3 persons).
The census summarised information from 22,864 farms which fulfilled the minimal production rates. In the past ten years the number of farms has decreased by 13.8 per cent (26,539 in 2000) as well as the size of agricultural land decreased from 3,604,000 Ha to 3,483,500 Ha in the ten year period. As the sizes of agricultural land are decreasing at a slower pace than the number of farms, the average farm size has increased to 152.4 Ha.
The total utilised agricultural land is mostly arable land (2,513,845 Ha) used most commonly for grain production (1,450,757 Ha), industrial crops such as rape, sunflower and soya (495,884 Ha), fodder crops (399,968 Ha). Permanent grasslands occupy the total of 928,817 Ha of all agricultural land.
A majority of the farms focus on mixed farming (6,245 farms), followed by production of grains, leguminous crops and oil seeds (5,365 farms) and breeding other than dairy cattle (3,085 farms). 84 per cent of all farms have no non-agricultural activities.
As for labour force in agriculture, there is a total of 186,100 persons employed of which 132,750 are employed regularly. Employees’ age is increasing. Largest group (36,384) is 45 to 54 years old, on the other hand the lowest number of employees is under the age of 24 (7,726).
Poultry (25,322,881 birds) is the dominant animal being raised, followed by pigs (1,907,994 heads) and cattle (1,328,925 heads).
Organic farming is applied by 2,357 farms managing 398,592 Ha of agricultural land of which 86.4 per cent is used as permanent grasslands and pastures (344,221 Ha).
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