Farm Structure Survey, Slovenia, 2016

In 2016, 3.2% fewer agricultural holdings than in 2013 are engaged in agricultural production
According to provisional data of the Farm Structure Survey, there were 70,063 agricultural holdings in Slovenia as of 1 June 2016, which is 2,314 fewer than in 2013.

Although the number of agricultural holdings decreased, the utilised agricultural area remained almost the same as in 2013 (decreased by 0.1% to 476,682 hectares). Agricultural holdings are breeding more animals than in 2013 (especially poultry, goats and cattle); since 2013 the number of livestock units (LSU) has increased by 4.8% (to 418,512 LSU).

An average agricultural holding in Slovenia in 2016 used 0.10 hectare of permanent grassland more than in 2013 (3.91 ha), 0.11 hectare more of arable land (2.51 ha) and the same area of permanent crops as in 2013 (0.38 ha).

Compared to 2013 land use on agricultural holdings did not change significantly
According to provisional data, agricultural holdings in Slovenia use 898,365 hectares of land (0.6% more than in 2013); approximately 53% of land is utilised agricultural area, about 44% is forest, 2% is unutilised agricultural area and 2% is barren land.

Among 476,682 hectares of utilised agricultural area (0.1% less than in 2013), the largest share is permanent grassland (57.5% or 274,251 hectares), followed by arable land (36.8% or 175,519 hectares) and permanent crops (5.6% or 26,913 hectares).

While the area of permanent crops remained almost the same as in 2013 (1.3% less than in 2013), the areas of individual permanent crops changed quite a bit. The area of olive groves increased by 14.7% (to 1,038 ha), the area of orchards by 4.6% (to 10,245 ha), while the area of vineyards decreased by 5.6% (to 15,331 ha).

In 2016 the same share of agricultural holdings breeds animals as in 2013 (80% of agricultural holdings)
According to provisional data, 55,814 agricultural holdings in Slovenia are breeding animals in 2016. Compared to 2013, the average size of agricultural holdings breeding animals increased by 0.58 livestock units (from 6.9 to 7.5 LSU).

The most common type of livestock on agricultural holdings is still poultry, since it is bred on more than half (54%) of all agricultural holdings. The second most common type of livestock is cattle; it is also bred on almost half of all agricultural holdings (47%). Pigs are bred on 32%, sheep on 9%, horses on 8% and goats on 7% of all agricultural holdings.

In 2016 a quarter more poultry is bred in Slovenia than in 2013
According to provisional data, increase in the number of poultry was detected; since 2013 the number has increased by about 1,300,000 (which is about 26% more than in 2013). The number of agricultural holdings breeding poultry also increased (by 3%). The number of goats increased by about 12% and the number of agricultural holdings breeding goats by around 15%. The number of cattle increased by 5%, while the number of agricultural holdings breeding cattle decreased by 4%. The number of sheep increased by 3%, while the number of agricultural holdings breeding sheep decreased by 2%. Compared to 2013, only the number of pigs decreased by 5% and the number of horses by 10%. Also the number of agricultural holdings breeding pigs decreased by 4% and the number of agricultural holdings breeding horses by 3%.

In 2016, again the unutilised agricultural area decreased

According to provisional data, unutilised agricultural area decreased by a third in comparison with 2013 (by 7.331 hectares). The area has been decreasing from 2010, when it was 32,659 hectares; by 2016 it decreased to 15,060 hectares.

Agricultural holdings that abandon agricultural activity are not covered in this survey, since they are not so-called “European comparable holdings” where only those who reach a certain threshold of production are included. We believe that one of the main reasons for the reduction of unutilised agricultural area is the reduction of the number of holdings, since these holdings had quite a significant share of unutilised agricultural area. Another reason could be that the area which was for a long time uncultivated now became forested area.

New on the SI-STAT Data Portal:

Some important data on the structure of agricultural holdings for 2010 and 2013, by cohesion and statistical regions in line with the NUTS Regulation (EC) No. 1319/2013 are published on the SI-STAT Data Portal.

The data reflect the changes due to changes in the regional breakdown of Slovenia:

Municipalities Radeče and Bistrica ob Sotli passed from Savinjska NUTS 3 to Spodnjeposavska NUTS 3 and municipality Litija from Osrednjeslovenska NUTS 3 to Zasavska NUTS 3.