Agriculture and forestry, fisheries

Agriculture produces vegetable and animal foodstuffs. Typical activities are farming and animal husbandry, grassland cultivation and the raising of specialised crops (for instance, fruits, vegetables and wine). In spite of its small 1% share or so of total economic output, agricultural production is very important as it enables the population to be supplied with a sufficiently large amount of foodstuffs at affordable prices. More than 80% of the required foodstuffs can be obtained from domestic production.

German agriculture strongly contributes to the European Union’s (EU) agricultural production regarding a number of products. Of all EU member states Germany is the largest producer of milk, pork and rapeseed and the second largest producer of cereals and potatoes, sugar beet and beef. In addition, agriculture and forestry render services, which are not considered in national accounts. They include, for instance, the maintenance of and care for cultivated landscapes and the preservation of natural living conditions, having a strong impact on our society’s quality of life.

Official agricultural statistics, which are based on legal foundations and embedded in the EU’s system of agricultural statistics, are to record agriculture’s structural and social adaptations to changed market and policy conditions and to make this information available as soon as possible. The basis is provided by data on current farm structures and production capacities, which is helpful information for businessmen and politicians to take decision at national and supranational levels. On the one hand, this data is used to observe the markets for agricultural products and to assess the supply of people with safe foodstuffs at affordable prices. On the other hand, this information provides a basis for follow-up checks on the success of European and national market and price policies and for the estimation of future developments and the involved agricultural spending. The data is also used to observe the impact of agricultural activities on the farming environment and rural areas.

Official statistics on agriculture and forestry, fisheries are collected by agricultural censuses, undertaken in intervals of 8 to 12 years, and agricultural structural surveys supplementing them and by individual surveys on land use, livestock and production conducted in general on a yearly basis or with a shorter periodicity.