Methodology

The Hungarian Central Statistical Office carried out the latest farm structure survey under the name Integrated farm statistics data collection, 2023 (IFS, 2023). The reference day was 1 June 2023, however, the different areas covered the preceding one-year or half-year period.

The survey was made using the following method:

• agricultural enterprises fulfilled their obligation to supply data via electronic data supply. The survey covered all of them.

• In the case of private farms, an on-line or face-to-face survey or one based on a telephone interview was carried out between 15 May and 15 July 2023. Sample units were selected based on information from the 2020 Agricultural Census and administrative sources.

Farm threshold

A farm is defined as follows in data collections:

a farm used at least

• 1 hectare of productive areas (arable land areas, kitchen gardens, orchards, vineyards, (intensive and extensive) grassland, forests, fish-ponds and reeds together), or
• 0.25 hectare of area of potatoes, or
• 0.25 hectare of area of fresh vegetables and strawberries, or
• 0.2 hectare of area of aromatic, medical and culinary plants, flowers and ornamental plants, seeds and seedlings, and nurseries, or
• 0.25 hectare of area of fruit trees, berries, walnut trees, citrus fruit trees and other permanent crops, or
• 0.1 hectare of area of vineyards, or
• 0.01 hectare of area of accessible glasshouse or polytunnel/cover, or
• 0.01 hectare of area of cultivated mushroom, or

a farm kept at least

• 1 cattle or buffalo, or
• 10 sheep, or
• 10 goats, or
• 30 piglets of a live weight of below 20 kg, or
• 2 pigs of a live weight of 20 kg or above, or
• 50 hens and chickens, or
• 30 turkeys, or
• 100 ducks, or
• 50 geese, or
• 3 ostriches, or
• 50 domestic rabbits, or

provided agricultural services in the preceding 12 months.

Glossary

Livestock unit (LSU): a coefficient applied to ensure the comparable aggregation of various livestock species and categories (age, sex). By using this, the total livestock population can be aggregated for a farm. In livestock unit calculations, cattle, buffalo, pig, sheep, goat, ostrich, chicken, turkey, goose, duck, other poultry and doe data are to be considered.

Livestock unit coefficients (in accordance with Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2018/1091 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018):

Annual work unit (AWU): annual amount of work of a unit of labour force, corresponding to 1,800 working hours, i.e. 225 working days of 8 hours each. The labour input of persons employed over different lengths of time can be compared using this indicator – by converting work completed in a broken period into full-time equivalents.

Farm: a technically and economically independent unit, which has its own single management and produces agricultural products or provides agricultural services.

Type of farm: a uniform grouping of farms to allow the comparison of the situation of farms. It shall be determined in proportion of the relative contribution of the standard output of the various agricultural activities to the normal total production of the farm. The farm is classified under the type where the particular activity gave more than 2/3 of the standard output.

Standard output (SO) (in accordance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1652 of 4 November 2020): standard value of gross production. The standard output is used for classifying farms according to the EU farm typology (where the type of farming is defined by main production activities) and for determining economic farm size.

Standard output coefficient (SOC) (in accordance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1652 of 4 November 2020): the average monetary value of gross production of different agricultural variables, corresponding to the situation in a given region, per unit of production. SOCs are calculated at farm-gate prices, in euro per hectare of crop or euro per head of livestock (exceptions apply for mushrooms in euro per 100 m2, poultry in euro per 100 heads, and bees in euro per hive). They do not include value added tax, taxes on products and direct payments.

General types of farms

Specialised farms – field crops (general cropping): farms producing mainly cereals, oilseeds, protein crops and other arable crops.

Specialised farms – horticulture: farms producing mainly vegetables, mushrooms, flowers and ornamental plants, or engaged mainly in nurseries.

Specialised farms – permanent crops: farms producing mainly grapes and fruits.

Specialised farms – grazing livestock: farms keeping mainly cattle, sheep and goats.

Specialised farms – granivores: farms keeping mainly pigs and poultry.

Mixed groupings – combination of crop products: farms engaged in the mixed cultivation of arable crops, grapes and fruits and in horticulture.

Mixed groupings – combination of livestock products: farms with various livestock populations.

Mixed groupings – combination of crop and livestock products: farms producing arable crops, and having plantations, and populations of various animal species.

Land use categories

Agricultural area: total area of the land use categories of arable land (including glasshouses), kitchen gardens, orchards, vineyards and (intensive and extensive) grassland.

Arable land: land under regular arable cultivation, covered with arable crops sown for nutrition, foraging, industrial and propagation purposes (production and sale of goods).

Kitchen garden: less than 1,500 m² of area of crops intended for own consumption, utilised for – also combining – vegetables, potatoes, flowers and possibly vineyards and fruit trees.

Orchards: contiguous total area of at least 400 m2 of fruit trees or at least 200 m2 of fruit bushes.

Vineyards: contiguous areas of at least 200 m2 of a row or rows of grapevines.

Grassland: grass-covered area utilised for grazing of the livestock or for mowing for at least 5 years, or not utilised but eligible for support.

Territorial data

Territorial data are displayed according to the geographical location of farms, which was determined based on the criteria below, in the following order:

• 1 Location of the main agricultural building. In the case of animal-keeping farms, the place where the livestock can be found. In the case of crop-producing and mixed farms, the location of the main building of the farm, which is usually located close to agricultural activities.
• 2 If there is no agricultural building to which the location of the farm could be assigned:
• a) location of the greater part of the area of the farm,
• b) location of the most significant plot of land selected on the basis of physical size,
• c) location of the most significant plot of land selected on the basis of economic size.
• 3 Residence of the farmer, if not at a larger distance than 5 km from the farm.

Relevant legislation

Regulation (EU) 2018/1091 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on integrated farm statistics and repealing Regulation (EC) No. 1166/2008 and Regulation (EU) 1337/2011.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2286 of 16 December 2021 on the data to be provided for the reference year 2023 pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1091 of the European Parliament and of the Council on integrated farm statistics as regards the list of variables and their description and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1200/2009.

Regulation (EU) 2021/2269 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2021 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1091 as regards the Union contribution for integrated farm statistics under Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 1198/2014 of 1 August 2014, supplementing Council Regulation (EC) No. 1217/2009 setting up a network for the collection of accountancy data on the incomes and business operation of agricultural holdings in the European Union.