State Statistical Office of the Republic of Macedonia

Structure of Agricultural Holdings

Comparable statistics on the structure of agricultural holdings are important in determining the tendencies in agricultural development and they are the basis for creating proper polices.
The Farm Structure Survey is one of the basic statistical surveys in the field of agriculture, which ensures comparable data on the structure of agricultural holdings between two agricultural censuses.
This obligation derives from Regulation (EC) No.1166/2008 as a part of the process of harmonization with European statistics.

Basic structural data which are derived from this survey are:
agricultural area by category
number of livestock
mechanization and equipment
irrigated area
labor force
other gainful activities
With the structural data derived from censuses of agriculture and structural surveys of agricultural holdings the SSO established a typology of agricultural holdings in accordance with European Regulation No. 1242/2008, which is a uniform classification of agricultural holdings in the European Union. The classification of agricultural holdings is based on type of farming and economic size of the holdings.

Key Indicators

Number of agricultural holdings ( 2013) : 170 885

Total utilised agricultural area ( 2013) : 315 863 hectares

Number of cattle ( 2013) : 239 362

Livestock units per agricultural holding ( 2013) : 2.14 Livestock units

Agricultural holdings specialised in field crops ( 2007) : 42 192

Agricultiral holdings classified in I class - up to 2000 euro ( 2007) : 58.22 %

Time Series

Terms and explanations
Individual agricultural holdings are units which are covered by the Farm Structure Survey. Agricultural holding means a single unit, both technically and economically, which undertakes agricultural activities according to the national classification of activities. Utilized agricultural land means land used for cultivation of agricultural crops. It represents the total of the areas of used arable land and gardens, orchards, vineyards, meadows, pastures and nurseries on the agricultural land. Livestock by types and categories The livestock is covered by types and categories regardless of whether at the time of the survey it is situated at the individual agricultural holding/business entity, or in other place. The Farm Structure Survey covered horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, hares and beehives. Household members working at the individual agricultural holdings. Persons aged 15 years and over that work at the individual agricultural holdings are classified according to the educational attainment, the age and the sex. The type of activity represents descriptive determination of the head, i.e. the member of the household, whether the work at the agricultural holding is: only activity, principal activity etc. The type of farming of an agricultural holding is determined by the relative contribution of the standard output of the different characteristics of this holding to the total standard output of this one. The economic size of the agricultural holding is determined on the basis of the total standard output of the holding. On the basis of the total standard output, the agricultural holdings are classified according to their economic potential in 14 economic size classes.

Terms and explanations

Individual agricultural holdings are units which are covered by the Farm Structure Survey. Agricultural holding means a single unit, both technically and economically, which undertakes agricultural activities according to the national classification of activities.

Utilized agricultural land means land used for cultivation of agricultural crops. It represents the total of the areas of used arable land and gardens, orchards, vineyards, meadows, pastures and nurseries on the agricultural land.

Livestock by types and categories

The livestock is covered by types and categories regardless of whether at the time of the survey it is situated at the individual agricultural holding/business entity, or in other place. The Farm Structure Survey covered horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, hares and beehives.

Household members working at the individual agricultural holdings.

Persons aged 15 years and over that work at the individual agricultural holdings are classified according to the educational attainment, the age and the sex.

The type of activity represents descriptive determination of the head, i.e. the member of the household, whether the work at the agricultural holding is: only activity, principal activity etc.

The type of farming of an agricultural holding is determined by the relative contribution of the standard output of the different characteristics of this holding to the total standard output of this one.

The economic size of the agricultural holding is determined on the basis of the total standard output of the holding.

On the basis of the total standard output, the agricultural holdings are classified according to their economic potential in 14 economic size classes.

News releases
Farm Structure Survey
Typology of agricultural holdings

News releases

Farm Structure Survey

Typology of agricultural holdings

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