Agricultural Census 2020

More results of Agricultural Census 2020 on the structure of agricultural holdings: their number, average size, farm type, economic size, land area, utilisation of agricultural area, number of livestock and poultry, animal housing facilities, management of fertilisers, the labour force in agriculture and other gainful activities of holdings, as well as organic farming at the national level as well as in breakdown by region, but selected indicators are presented at municipality and rural territory level ​in the official statistics section Business sectors / Agriculture / Other format

In 2020, 69 thousand economically active agricultural holdings in Latvia were managing 2.83 million ha of land, including 1.97 million ha of utilised agricultural area (UAA).

Since the first independence the number of agricultural holdings in Latvia has declined. In 1923 there were 193.7 thousand farms. Over the past 20 years, the number of economically active holdings has dropped more than twice – from 140.8 thousand in 2001 to 69 thousand in 2020. The most rapid change took place between 2001 and 2010 when number of farms reduced by 40.8 %, whereas between 2010 and 2020 it fell by 17.2 %.

As a result of structural changes, since 2001 agricultural holdings have become larger in terms of total land area, utilised agricultural area, and number of livestock. Results of the Census show that the most rapid change took place between 2001 and 2010.

In 2020 the average land area per holding took 41 ha, which is 21.1 ha more than in 2001. Utilised agricultural area on average per farm occupied 28.5 ha, which is 16.7 ha more than in 2001 and 7 ha more than in 2010. Since 2001 average arable land per holding has increased 2.3 times. Especially sharp increase was observed in the average cereal areas on holdings specialising in cereal production. During the period from 2001 to 2010, the average area of cereals increased from 6.9 ha to 20.1 ha or 2.9 times, while over the next decade by 17.2 ha, reaching 37.3 ha. Average number of livestock per holding grew 2.3 times – from 3.1 livestock units in 2001 to 6.9 livestock units in 2020.

Since 1920 when the first Agricultural Census in Latvia was conducted agricultural area (AA) has changed notably. Over a period of one hundred years AA has reduced by 1.66 million ha – from 3.63 million ha in 1920 to 1.97 million ha in 2020.

Since 2001 when the first Agricultural Census since Latvia regained its independence was conducted UAA has been increasing gradually. Compared to 2001, AA has increased by 306.6 thousand  ha or 18.4 %.

Sown areas of agricultural crops occupied 1.28 million ha or 95.7 % of total arable land in 2020. Share of cropland in total arable land has increased by 2.4 percentage points, compared to 2010. In 2010 cropland took 1 045.0 thousand ha or 93.3 % of arable land. Since 2010 areas of fallow land have reduced. In 2020 fallow land occupied 56.6 thousand ha, which is 17.9 thousand ha or 24 % fewer than in 2010.

In 2020, 25.9 thousand farms or 37.5 % of all holdings had livestock. Since 2001 the number of agricultural holdings keeping livestock has reduced gradually. In 2001, 68.2 % of farms had livestock, in 2010 those were 47,3 thousand holdings or 56.7 %. Over twenty years, number of agricultural holdings breeding livestock has dropped by 70.2 thousand or 73 %.

Over a period of one hundred years a decline in the livestock number may be observed. During the first independence sheep and cattle were the most popular in Latvia, in 2020 – cattle and pigs. Since 1935 the number of sheep has reduced by 1.21 million heads or 9.7 times, of cattle by 859 thousand or 3.1  times. In 2020 the number of dairy cows accounted for 759 thousand or it was 7.3 times smaller than in 1935. The smallest change may be observed in the goat number. Compared to 1935 it has increased by one thousand. Significant upturn was registered in the poultry number – from 831 thousand in 1935 to 5.8 million in 2020