Press Release 29/04/2022

AGRICULTURAL CENSUS. 2020

In 2020, there was a drop in the number of agricultural holdings in the Basque Country, but their size increased compared to 2009

The proportion of women as managers of holdings fell by five points to 25.6%, with an average age of nearly 60 years old

There were 12,919 agricultural holdings in the Basque Country in 2020, 21.8% fewer than those registered in 2009, according to the Agricultural Census prepared by Eustat. The utilised agricultural area (UAA) decreased to a lesser extent, falling by 5.4% to 180,196 hectares. This drop in the UAA was primarily due to the decrease in land used for permanent grassland (-35.9%), given that arable land increased by 3.1%, reaching 81,392 hectares.

By use, of particular note was the growth in other woody or permanent crops, although these accounted for less than 1% of the total arable land. There was also a rise in the area used for olive groves (45.9%) and fruit trees (35.7%). Arable crops, which include fallow land and kitchen gardens for self-consumption, increased by 1.7%, while the only decrease was in the area used for vineyards, down 0.5% compared to data from the previous census.

Livestock

Livestock holdings used for rearing or fattening goats were the only ones to grow in number, up 16.7%, reaching 1,873 holdings. The number of holdings for the remaining species declined, with the greatest decreases corresponding to poultry (-67.1%) and pigs (-65.3%). Holdings with bovine animals fell by 20.8% and those with sheep by 6.1%.

However, the number of animals per holding went up, except in the case of sheep, where it dropped by 10.1%. Growth in the number of animals per holding during the intercensal period stood at 437.3% for pigs, 186.2% for poultry, 32.1% for bovine animals and 2.1% for goats.

In total, in 2020 there were 142,442 bovine animals, 229,892 sheep, 25,661 goats, 30,040 pigs and over 1.5 million poultry.

Farm management

The average age of the manager of the holding was 57.5. A quarter were women, with an average age of nearly 60 years old, while, on average, men were 3 years younger.

The proportion of women as managers of holdings fell by 5 percentage points compared to the data collected in the previous census, with the figure currently standing at 34.5 female managers of holdings for every 100 male managers. The decline was similar across all age groups, with the sharpest drop (5.7%) occurring in the youngest group, the under-40s. Bizkaia saw the highest proportion of women in management, with female managers at 28.2% of all holdings. They accounted for 25.9% in Gipuzkoa and 21.7% in Álava.

Almost 60% of holdings were run by someone between 40 and 65 years old, more than 30% were managed by someone over 65 and 10.4% by someone under the age of 40. The percentages were very similar to those from the previous census, with the youngest age group experiencing the greatest variation, up nearly one percentage point.

Organic production

In 2020, there were 424 agricultural holdings in the Basque Country with utilised agricultural area that was certified organic or undergoing the conversion process. The organic area totalled 5,242 hectares, 2.9% of the utilised agricultural area, a figure much higher than the 611 hectares recorded in the previous census. 59.4% of the organic area was in Álava, 21.1% in Gipuzkoa and 19.5% in Bizkaia.

The number of organic livestock holdings also increased, with approximately 2,700 bovine animals, 3,800 sheep, 450 goats, 80 pigs and 36,600 poultry in organic production in 2020.

Methodological note: The data refer to the 2020 agricultural year, from 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020, for variables related to land and as regards livestock numbers, the information was collected with a reference date of 30 September 2020.

The population framework comprises all agricultural and livestock holdings in existence on 30 September 2020, regardless of the natural or legal person acting as holder and the purpose of the agricultural production, provided that they meet one of the following criteria: 1 ha of utilised agricultural area (UAA), 1 ha of arable land, 0.5 ha of UAA used for potatoes, 0.2 ha of UAA used for fresh vegetables and strawberries, 0.2 ha of UAA used for aromatic, medicinal and culinary plants, flowers and ornamental plants, seeds and seedlings or nurseries (outdoor), 0.3 ha of UAA used for fruit trees, berries, walnut trees, citrus fruit trees or other permanent crops (excluding nurseries, vineyards and olive trees), 0.1 ha of UAA used for vineyards, 0.3 ha of UAA used for olive trees, 100 m2 of greenhouses, 100 m2 of cultivated mushrooms, 1 livestock unit (LU) (except equine), 1.7 equine LUs or 10 beehives.

In the Basque Country, broader thresholds have been defined than those stipulated in the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2018/1091, with the aim of providing further information that is more relevant and comparable with previous censuses.

The methodology used to collect information was a mixed system of direct collection via a questionnaire and massive use of administrative records, primarily the CAP aid applications file and livestock holding registries.

This operation was carried out in collaboration with the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE) in the Basque Country.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel.: 945 01 75 62