Agriculture, Analytics, Latvia

If compared to 2005, in 2007 the share of farms, in which the area of agricultural land did not exceed 10 ha reduced – by 3.6%, but the share of farms, in which area of agricultural land exceeded 100 ha, increased by 5.3%.

Number of farms and utilised agricultural land in farms of different size, %

Due to the structural changes, the average size of agricultural farm has grown from 22.9 ha in 2005 to 25.5 ha in 2007, or by 11.4%. The area of agricultural land on average in one farm has grown from 12.8 ha to 15.7 ha, or by 22.7%. Those areas were mostly used as arable land (11.9 ha on average in one farm) and as meadows and pastures (9.3 ha on average in one farm).

Agricultural land in regions (% of total agricultural land in regions)

In 2007 total area of arable land in the country was 1113 thsd hectares – 3.3% more than in 2005. The widest areas of arable land were in the region of Zemgale – 291 thsd ha or 15.0% of total agricultural land.

Last year in Latvia there were 253 farms who had more than 500 ha of arable land, or 0.2% of the total number of such farms. In those farms 263 thsd ha or 23.7% of the total area of arable land were cultivated. For 57% of farms the area of arable land did not exceed 5.0 ha.

In 94.1% of arable land usually agricultural corps were grown, but 5.8% were occupied by fallows.

In 2007 sown area of agricultural crops took 1047 thsd ha or 7% more than in 2005, cereals occupied 512 thsd ha (increase of 15.9%).

On average in one farm growing cereals sown area of cereals was 13.3 ha, and that is 3.7% more than in 2005. Sown area of rape on average in one farm growing rape has increased from 41.0 ha in 2005 to 43.1 ha in 2007.

Also livestock breeding has witnessed considerable changes. The number of cattle has grown by 7.6%, of sheep – by 59%, and of poultry – by 14.6%. Also the number of cattle on average in one farm breeding them has increased.

Number of cattle on average in one farm on June 1, 2007