Pesticide usage in Scotland 2016: soft fruit crops – revised 2020

Revised report to correct inaccuracies in active substance application weight data that were overestimated in the original soft fruit crop 2016 report published in 2017.


Appendix 2 – Survey statistics

Census and sample information

Table 37 Census crop areas 2016

Census area (ha) of arable crops grown in Scotland

Scotland 2016 Scotland 2014 % change
Strawberry 993 913 9
Raspberry 326 311 5
Blackcurrants 302 308 -2
Blueberries 132 45 192
Mixed and other soft fruits 122 166 -27
All soft fruit 1,876 1,744 8

Note: Data taken from the 2016 and 2014 June Agricultural Census.

All areas exclude multi-cropping.

It was estimated from crops encountered in the 2016 sample, that 7 ha of the mixed and other soft fruit categories in the census were raspberry, strawberry, blueberry or blackcurrant

Table 38 Distribution of soft fruit sample - 2016

Number of holdings surveyed in each region and size group

Size(1) (ha) North Angus South Scotland
0.01 - 4.99 17 2 8 27
5.00 - 9.99 1 3 1 5
10.00 - 19.99 1 5 0 6
20 + 0 9 0 9
All sizes 19 19 9 47

(1) Refers to the total area of soft fruit crops grown on the holding, including those grown in the open and those grown under glasshouse or walk-in plastic structures

Table 39 Non-protected soft fruit sample areas - 2016

Area (ha) of non-protected soft fruit crops in sample

Size(1) (ha) Scotland(2)
0.01 - 4.99 7.80
5.00 - 9.99 22.56
10.00 - 19.99 27.30
20 + 109.57
All sizes 167.23

Table 40 Non-protected soft fruit census areas - 2016

Area (ha) of soft fruit grown in the open in Scotland

Size(1) (ha) Scotland(2)
0.01 - 4.99 85.47
5.00 - 9.99 79.52
10.00 - 19.99 92.85
20 + 346.29
All sizes 604.13

(1) Size refers to area of soft fruit grown in the open on holding

(2) Regional data have not been provided in order to prevent disclosure of information relating to fewer than five holdings

Table 41 Protected soft fruit sample areas - 2016

Area (ha) of protected soft fruit crops in sample

Size(1) (ha) Scotland(2)
0.01 - 4.99 8.01
5.00 - 9.99 7.62
10.00 - 19.99 37.38
20 + 172.80
All sizes 225.81

Table 42 Protected soft fruit census areas - 2016

Area (ha) of soft fruit grown under protection in Scotland

Size(1) (ha) Scotland(2)
0.01 - 4.99 38.17
5.00 - 9.99 59.20
10.00 - 19.99 291.69
20 + 883.23
All sizes 1,272.29

(1) Refers to the total area of soft fruit crops grown on the holding, including those grown in the open and those grown under glasshouse or walk-in plastic structures.

(2) Regional data have not been provided in order to prevent disclosure of information relating to fewer than five holdings

Table 43 Non-protected soft fruit raising factors -2016

Size(1) (ha) North Angus South
0.01 - 4.99 7.5853 113.5417 7.9421
5.00 - 9.99 2.1429 4.3118 2.1354
10.00 - 19.99 1.5868 3.8681
20 + 3.1178

Table 44 Protected soft fruit raising factors -2016

Size(1) (ha) Scotland
0.01 - 4.99 4.7628
5.00 - 9.99 7.7689
10.00 - 19.99 7.8035
20 + 5.1113

(1) Refers to the total area of soft fruit crops grown on the holding, including those grown in the open and those grown under glasshouse or walk-in plastic structures.

Note: Raising factors are calculated by comparing the sampled crop area to the census crop area

Table 45 Non-protected soft fruit first and second adjustment factors -2016

North
Adj. 1
Angus
Adj. 1
South
Adj. 1
Adj 2
Strawberries 90.3498 2.5874 0.7493 1.0000
Raspberries 1.7040 1.2735 0.7390 1.0000
Blackcurrants 0.8480 0.7686 0.4361 1.0000
Other soft fruit 0.6236 3.1319 3.8629 1.0000

Table 46 Protected soft fruit first and second adjustment factors -2016

Scotland
Adj. 1
Adj 2
Strawberries 1.2624 1.0000
Raspberries 0.4435 1.0000
Other soft fruit 1.6044 1.0000

Response rates

The table below summarises the number of holdings who were contacted during the survey.

Table 47 Response rate - 2016

2016 % total
Target sample (no. of holdings) 82 100
Total achieved 47 57
Total number of refusals/non-contact 41
Total number of farms approached 88

Financial burden to farmers

In order to minimise the burden on farmers, the survey team used non-visit methods of collection such as email, post or telephone call, where possible.

To determine the total burden that the 2016 Soft Fruit Crop Survey and the Integrated Pest Management Survey placed on those providing the information, the surveyors recorded the time that 36 respondents spent providing the data during the surveys. This sample represents 77 per cent of growers surveyed. Information was recorded from all strata of the sample to ensure that the overall estimate of burden was representative. The median time taken to provide the information was 21 minutes.

The following formula was used to estimate the total cost of participating:

Burden (£) = No. surveyed x median time taken (hours) x typical hourly rate*

(* using median “Full Time Gross” hourly pay for Scotland of £13.48)(10)

The total financial burden to all growers resulting from participation in the 2016 Soft Fruit Crop Survey and the Integrated Pest Management Survey was calculated to be £222.

Contact

Email: psu@sasa.gov.scot

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