This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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June 2002 Agriculture Census
23/10/2002
The final results from the June 2002 Agriculture Census
were issued today.
They show that, compared with June 2001:
- While there was no overall change in the total area
of combine harvested crops, the area of wheat increased
by twenty two per cent but the areas of barley and
oilseed rape fell by four per cent and eleven per cent
respectively.
- The total number of pigs fell by around 70,000 to
526,000, a fall of about 12 per cent.
- The total poultry flock fell by 3 per cent from
just over 16 million to 15.5 million.
- The total number of regular staff employed fell by
640 or 3 per cent, while the number of casual and
seasonal staff rose by 390.
The results also show that, compared with June 2000*,
there has been a fall of 97,000 or 5 per cent in the number
of cattle.
The number of sheep has fallen by 1,100,000 or 12 per
cent. The lambing rate (see note 2 below) was 1.07 compared
with 1.10 in 2000.
(comparisons for sheep and cattle are over a two year
period because holdings affected by foot and mouth disease
were not covered in the June 2001 census:- see note 1).
Note 1. The June 2002 Census covered farms affected by
foot and mouth disease during 2001. These were almost all
excluded (not sent returns) in June 2001. Therefore
particular care should be taken in interpreting the trends
in cattle and sheep numbers since June 2000.
Note 2. The lambing rate referred to above is calculated
for a particular year by counting the number of lambs as at
1 June in any year divided by the number of sheep put to
the ram as at 1 December of the previous year. It is not a
true physical rate as it excludes lambs slaughtered or sold
live out of Scotland prior to the June Census date.