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Final results of the 2008 June Agricultural Census
29/10/2008
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published final results of the 2008 June Agricultural Census.
These final results include changes from provisional results published on September 24, 2008.
Compared with June 2007, final results show that:
- The total number of cattle fell by 46 thousand, or 2.4 per cent, to 1.852 million
- The total number of sheep fell by 403 thousand, or 5.4 per cent to 7.1 million
- The total number of pigs fell by 21 thousand, or 4.6 per cent to 436 thousand
- The size of the poultry flock fell by 314 thousand, or 2.2 per cent to 13.815 million (1)
- There was decrease in the total number of occupiers, spouses and regular staff working on agricultural holdings of 2,750 or 4.5 per cent to 58,790. There was a small increase in casual and seasonal staff of 310 or 5.6 per cent to 5,920
- Cereal areas increased by 52 thousand hectares, or 12.9 per cent to 456 thousand hectares. Total barley increased by 41 thousand hectares or 14.6 per cent and wheat increased by 11 thousand hectares or 10.6 per cent (2)
- The area of land in set-aside decreased by 45 thousand hectares or 71.3 per cent to 18 thousand hectares (2)
(1) Final results for 2008 show a decrease in the total poultry flock of 750 thousand birds (5.1 per cent) compared with the provisional results. This is due to final results fully accounting for restructuring of some holdings and businesses.
Additionally, late information received from some poultry holdings reported empty sheds in June, which were being cleaned prior to re-stocking. These operational processes contribute to the volatility of poultry estimates.
(2) Estimates of Cereal areas have increased by 8 thousand hectare since the publication of provisional results. Additional quality assurance of data has identified some Cereal crops grown on land attracting set-aside entitlements, which had not been previously included in Cereal totals. Conversely, the set-aside estimate has decreased by 5 thousand hectares. The set-aside estimate is still likely to include some crops, especially forage crops.