REPUBLIC OF

Census of Agricultural Holdings in Bulgaria in 2010 Ministry of Agriculture and Food Ministry of Agriculture and With the financial support of Food the European union

No 212 – November 2012

Agricultural Census in 2010 2010 2020020052005 MONTANA DISTRICT - main results

General characteristics of the district

The Montana District is located in the North West Region and is one of the 28 districts of Bulgaria (level A NUTS 3 of the common classification of territorial units for statistics of EU). The total area of the district is 3 635.6 sq. km or 19.4% of the territory of the region G and 3.3 % of the territory of the country. The number of settlements is 130, administered in 11 municipalities; there are 8 towns, 121 villages - and a monastery - the R Klisurski Monastery. The population of the district is 148 098 people or 2% of the population of the country. The total utilized agricultural area (UAA) is 1 416 262 O dca and occupies 39% of the territory of the district.

STRUCTURE OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS S The number of agricultural holdings in the Montana District is 9 653 or 18.8% of the holdings in the North West Region and 2.6% of the holdings in the country. The utilized agricultural area (UAA) is 1 416 262 dca distributed in 9 189 holdings. The average size of the UAA is 154.1 dca or 52% above the average size for the country – 101.3 dca. The T number of the holdings without UAA is 464. The municipality of Valchedrum has the largest share of UAA – 20.4% divided among 761 agricultural holdings with an average UAA of 380.3 dca. The municipalities of Montana and Lom have respectively 17% and 18% share of the utilized land, while Georgi Damyanovo has 1%. The holdings cultivating A over 500 dca of UAA are 319 (3%) and cover 89% (1 259 559 dca) of the UAA of the district. The holdings cultivating up to 10 dca are 6 686 or 73% of the holdings with UAA in the district but they cultivate 1% (18 399 dca) of the UAA. T Table 1 Distribution of agricultural holdings in the Montana District according to the size of UAA by municipalities

UAA (dca) I Total = 0.0 > 0.0 and < 10.0 ≥ 10.0 and < 20.0 ≥ 20.0 and < 100.0 ≥ 100.0 and< 500.0 ≥ 500.0 Municipality Number Average Number Number Number Number UAA Number UAA UAA UAA Number UAA UAA of size of of of of of of (dca) (dca) (dca) (dca) (dca) (dca) S holdings (dca) holdings holdings holdings holdings holdings holdings

BULGARIA 370 222 36 169 647.3 101.3 13 148 248 015 816 280.7 46 944 625 506.8 41 124 1 631 422.8 12 828 2 786 112.8 8 163 30 310 324.2 Montana T District 9 653 1 416 262.3 154.1 464 6 686 18 398.7 847 11 302.2 928 39 270.3 409 87 731.7 319 1 259 559.4 1 038 30 968.4 32.7 92 747 2 720.1 93 1 280.8 80 3 196.4 17 3 015.9 9 20 755.2 Boychinovtsi 952 189 702.0 204.2 23 690 1 568.3 57 749.7 82 3 721.9 61 12 339.6 39 171 322.5 I Brusartsi 563 92 680.5 168.2 12 366 1 037.9 48 644.6 83 3 750.0 35 7 112.4 19 80 135.6 Valchedrum 764 289 404.7 380.3 3 504 524.0 29 387.3 94 4 687.0 76 17 607.8 58 266 198.6 878 17 996.6 22.7 84 584 1 866.4 103 1 337.9 75 2 737.6 24 4 362.8 8 7 691.9 C Georgi Damyanovo 492 11 262.7 23.2 6 385 1 568.9 54 706.0 34 1 408.5 7 c 6 c Lom 1 341 254 698.2 202.5 83 1 082 2 625.1 52 687.9 74 3 096.2 22 5 410.4 28 242 878.6 S Medkovets 443 145 656.1 331.0 3 211 224.9 34 457.3 91 4 290.1 59 12 979.7 45 127 704.1 Montana 1 927 239 039.3 133.8 141 1 264 3 427.5 198 2 701.4 192 7 805.0 56 11 602.6 76 213 502.8 Chiprovtsi 731 12 494.9 17.1 2 488 2 010.3 149 1 959.6 71 2 356.4 20 c 1 c Yakimovo 524 132 358.9 260.0 15 365 825.3 30 389.7 52 2 221.2 32 6 938.6 30 121 984.1 Results and analyses

Distribution of UAA in the Montana District UAA according to the legal status of the holdings The utilized agricultural area of 1 416 262 dca is distributed among Figure 1 9 189 agricultural holdings with location on the territory of the Montana District. The number of the owners who are natural Associations Natural persons is 9 004 and they manage 33% of the UAA and the average Commercial and others persons UAA per holding is 52.6 dca. The commercial companies are 120 companies 1% 33% and they use 46% of the UAA with an average area of 5 367.7 dca. 46% There are 42 sole traders operating on the territory of the district who manage 13% of the UAA and the average size of UAA per holding is 4 317.1 dca. The cooperatives on the territory of the district are 14 and they manage a total of 7% of the UAA with an average area of 7 461.7 dca. The associations and the holdings with other legal status (monasteries, schools, institutes, etc.) are 9 and they utilize 1% of the UAA with average area of 1 397 dca. 16.7% Cooperatives Sole traders 13% of the utilized land is owned by the holdings, and 83.3% is rented. 7% 88% of the utilized land is owned by natural persons.

CROPS

Distribution of UAA in the district of Montana by crops The arable land in the district is 1 335 838 dca or 94% of the UAA Figure 2 in the district divided among 6 076 agricultural holdings. The cereals occupy the largest relative share of the UAA in the district Vineyards Others Wheat - 55%. 58% of the area are occupied by wheat which takes up 32% Permanent 1% 15% 32% of the UAA. The grain maize occupies 15% of the UAA and grassland accounts for 27% of the cereals. The technical crops occupy 33% 5% of the UAA and are grown by 857 holdings. The biggest area under technical crops is in the municipality of Valchedrum (23%). Sunflower and rape occupy respectively 28% and 5% of the UAA Rape of the district. Fodder crops are 3% of the UAA, 50% of them are 5% represented by non-perennial legume grassland and 38% - maize for silage and green fodder. Permanent grassland and fodder crops Grain occupy 63 951 dca or 5% of the UAA of the district. Permanent Sunflower maize crops account for 1% of the UAA, and 67% of them are occupied 28% 15% by vineyards, 4 476 dca are occupied by fruit 22% of which are raspberries.

LIVESTOCK Farm animals, poultry and bees are raised in 8 481 farms in the Distribution of livestock units district. 17% of them raise cattle, 47% - sheep, 54% - goats, 39% - Figure 3 pigs and 79% - poultry. The holdings in the Montana District raise 15 556 heads of cattle with average size of herds of 10.7 heads. The 3% dairy cows are 10 000. Cattle, sheep and goats are raised mainly in BULGARIA 41% 12% 16% 20% 8% holdings of natural persons, respectively 76% of the cattle, 93% of Montana 40% 10% 5% 12% 25% 8% the sheep and 99.5% of the goats in the district. Legal entities raise 48% of the pigs and the holdings of natural persons – 52%. The Cattle Sheep Goats Pigs Poultry Other commercial companies raise 77% of the poultry. 939 holdings raise 16 348 bee families, and 99% of them are in holdings of natural Livestock units are standard measuring units which allow for persons. unification of the different categories of animals for the purpose of their comparison. LABOUR FORCE Number of persons employed in agriculture by gender 17 251 (seasonal workers excl.) were employed in agricultural and age group holdings in 2010 and they worked 10 278 annual work units (AWU). Figure 4 15 673 or 91% of those employed in agriculture in the district were ` family labour force. The non-family labour force (employees) accounted for 1 578 employees or 9% of those employed in over 65 years 3 921 2 724 agriculture who worked a total of 1 464 AWU. The seasonal workers worked 47.8 thousand man-days which represents 206 AWU. 40% of from 55 to 64 years 2 680 2 025 those employed were women and 60% - men. The pensioners above from 45 to 54 years 1 791 1 135 64 working in agricultural holdings accounted for 39% of employees while the workers up to 34 were 6%. 79% out of 9 653 managers of from 35 to 44 years 1 218 703 holdings (including natural persons) were men, and 21% were women. The managers worked a total of 5 840 AWU. 4% were aged from 25 to 34 years. 556 308 up to 34 and 47% – above 64.

under 24 years 135 55

Male Female

TYPOLOGY OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS The holdings with mixed livestock and the holdings specialized in grazing animals - respectively 26.5% and 22.8% - are dominant in the Montana District. The standard output is formed mainly by the holdings which are specialized in growing field crops (56.6%), in the raising of grazing animals (13.5%) and the holdings raising pigs and poultry (13.0%).

2 MAIN RESULTS Table 2 Number of holdings and area with main crops, number of animals and labour force in the Montana District BULGARIA Montana District Agricultural area and crops Holdings Area Holdings Area (number) (dca) (number) (dca) Utilised agricultural area 357 074 36 169 647.3 9 189 1 416 262.3 Arable land 250 728 31 249 279.8 6 076 1 335 837.8 Cereals 119 640 17 961 479.9 3 614 778 889.1 - Wheat 49 436 11 497 374.0 1 290 452 425.4 - Barley 19 759 2 523 437.0 507 86 231.0 - Grain maize 68 381 3 151 539.5 2 819 213 613.9 Sunflower 16 873 7 325 024.3 834 397 527.9 Rape 1 927 2 231 852.8 30 70 355.4 Fodder crops 75 332 1 061 335.4 1 897 37 543.9 Kitchen gardens 227 930 103 646.5 6 860 2 231.3 Permanent grassland 107 267 3 820 229.9 2 990 63 950.7 Permanent crops 118 610 996 491.1 3 910 14 242.5 - Vineyards 87 002 523 356.7 3 527 9 571.2 - Orchards 42 827 455 048.5 740 4 476.1 Apples 19 138 58 509.8 402 682.4 Plums and wild plums 16 273 83 745.8 289 382.6 Cherries and sour cherries 10 702 106 497.8 133 1 146.3 Raspberries 1 231 17 541.9 143 984.6

BULGARIA Montana District Types and categories of animals Holdings Number of Holdings Number of animals* (number) animals* (number) Cattle 95 357 576 339 1 449 15 556 - Cows 86 210 347 291 1 230 10 013 Buffaloes 1 028 10 038 47 340 Sheep 91 793 1 415 181 3 979 31 963 Goats 84 582 388 866 4 556 15 849 Pigs 82 265 670 469 3 288 14 150 - Sows 15 235 73 547 435 1 277 Total equidae 92 806 112 632 3 112 3 393 Poultry 185 455 17 491 187 6 691 824 779 - Laying hens and pullets 180 253 7 875 278 6 385 291 039 - Chickens for fattening 19 457 7 564 578 663 510 776 Bee colonies 23 982 588 694 939 16 348

*Except for the bees indicated in number of bee colonies.

BULGARIA Montana District Labour force Total labour Family labour Non-family Total labour Family labour Non-family force force labour force force force labour force Number of employees in the holdings 738 634 681 466 57 168 17 251 15 673 1 578 Labour input in AWU 389 107 336 766 52 341 10 278 8 814 1 464

Table 3 Typology of agricultural holdings in the Montana District % in the Types of specialist holdings Unit meas. BULGARIA Montana District district Number of holdings 370 222 9 653 100.0% Total SO (thousand Euro) 2 458 262.8 79 165.7 100.0% Number of holdings 63 112 833 8.6% Field crops SO (thousand Euro) 1 152 959.3 44 819.8 56.6% Vegetables, flowers and Number of holdings 18 223 126 1.3% Specialist holdings - crops mushrooms SO (thousand Euro) 166 013.1 1 744.3 2.2% Number of holdings 32 111 534 5.5% Permanent crops SO (thousand Euro) 60 544.3 989.4 1.3% Number of holdings 88 630 2 195 22.8% Grazing livestock Specialist holdings — animal SO (thousand Euro) 379 412.6 10 675.4 13.5% production Number of holdings 28 583 1 235 12.8% Pigs, poultry and rabbits SO (thousand Euro) 348 827.3 10 322.8 13.0% Number of holdings 14 607 191 2.0% Mixed crop holdings SO (thousand Euro) 65 950.0 781.7 1.0% Number of holdings 50 186 2 559 26.5% Mixed holdings Mixed livestock holdings SO (thousand Euro) 76 438.5 3 422.2 4.3% Mixed crop and livestock Number of holdings 73 788 1 968 20.4% holdings SO (thousand Euro) 208 117.7 6 410.1 8.1% Not classified holdings Number of holdings 982 12 0.1%

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CENSUS OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS 2010: METHODOLOGY

This publication presents and analyzes the data of 9 659 agricultural holdings located in the Montana District which meet the thresholds for agricultural holdings. The agricultural holdings are grouped into "natural persons" and "legal entities" in the analysis of the results. The sole traders and the associations are included in the group of legal entities because in terms of size and "behaviour" they are closer to cooperatives and commercial companies than to the holdings of natural persons.

USED DEFINITIONS ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT OF THE Agricultural holding or „holding“ is a technical-economic unit, under single management, CENSUS which is engaged in agricultural production or maintains agricultural land in good The census of the agricultural holdings was held agricultural and environmental condition within the meaning of article 2, letter ‘a’ of from 1st September to 30th November 2010 in Regulation (EC) No 1166/2008 and meets at least one of the criteria laid down in Annex accordance with the Law on Agricultural Census No 2 to article 5 of the Law on Agricultural Census 2010 in Bulgaria. 2010 in Bulgaria. The information was collected by Utilized agricultural area (UAA) of agricultural holdings includes their arable land, interviewers who visited the holdings meeting the permanent crops, permanent grassland and kitchen gardens. criteria for an agricultural holding in the district and Arable land is agricultural land worked under a system of crop rotation on an annual basis interviewed their owners or managers. - area with annual crops as well as area under glass, area with strawberries, temporary 99 interviewers and 12 supervisors who were grass, hops, oil rose, lavender, fallow land and area for production of seeds and seedlings. specially trained worked on the territory of the Permanent crops are orchards, vineyards, area with berry plantations and nurseries Montana District during the census. The data entry (including for forest trees). from the completed questionnaires was followed by Permanent grasslands are natural meadows and low productive grassland of the holding verifications and controls of compliance that aimed which are cut or grazed by the animals. Area not used for production purposes but to ensure the high quality of the collected maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition is also included here. information. The UAA of the holdings does not include common area used collectively by several All participants in the collection and the processing holdings for grazing animals. of the data are obliged to keep strict statistical secret Annual Work Unit – one AWU is equal to the hours work by a person employed on a full- and the individual data of the holdings may not be time basis during the whole year. In Bulgaria it is adopted that 1 AWU is equal to 1 856 used for other purposes but statistical ones (Chapter working hours during the year or 232 man-days. st th VI of the Law on Agricultural Census 2010 in Period of observation for the area is the crop year: from 1 October 2009 to 30 Bulgaria). September 2010. The number of the animals is reported on 31.08.2010. The labour force is reported for a period of 12 months ending on 31.08.2010.

TYPOLOGY OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS

The typology of agricultural holdings is a uniform classification of the holdings in the Community based on type of farming and economic size and allows for determining their specialization and size. The classification is based on economic criteria called standard output (SO). The type of farming of a holding is determined by the relative contribution of the standard output of the different products of this holding to the total standard output. The holdings are classified in nine general types: Specialist holdings - crops Mixed holdings 1. Field crops 6. Mixed crops 2. Vegetables, flowers and mushrooms 7. Mixed livestock breeding 3. Permanent crops 8. Mixed crops and livestock breeding Specialist holdings - animal production 4. Grazing livestock 9. Not classified holdings 5. Pigs, poultry and rabbits SO 2007 calculated as weighted average values for the period 2005-2009 were used to determine the typology of the holdings for the census of agricultural holdings in Bulgaria in 2010. The classification of the holdings in homogenous groups by type of specialization and economic size allows for comparison of the agricultural structures in different countries and in time. How is typology determined? What is "economic size" of an agricultural holding? – The The determination of the typology of holdings has the following steps: economic size of a holding is determined on the basis of the - The individual SO of all agricultural holdings (from crop and animal total standard output of the holding. It shows the potential of production) is determined for a particular crop year or as an average value the holding but not its financial results. The economic size of several years. The individual SO reflects the average monetary value of allows for comparison of holdings with different specialization the agricultural production at the producer's price. The SO does not include because the physical size (average area, number of animals, direct payments; value added tax and other taxes. etc.) does not provide sufficient information. - These individual SO are applied to the data of each holding (the area of The economic size of a holding is determined as the sum of each type of crop and the number of each animal category raised on the SO of each product produced in the holding. The holdings are holding is multiplied by the relevant SO) and summed to determine the total classified by size classes (from I to XIV). The I class includes SO of the holding in euro. holdings with size up to 2 thousand EUR. The holdings with - The specialization of the holding is determined on the basis of a economic size from 2 thousand EUR to 100 thousand EUR are classification scheme set out in Regulation (EC) 1242/2008 amended by classified in classes from II to VII, while holdings with Regulation (EO) 867/2009. economic size above 100 thousand EUR fall within classes from VIII to XIV. The typology of holdings is used in agricultural statistics to analyze the results obtained from statistical surveys and to prepare samples for conducting subsequent ones.

The publication is completed on 30 November 2012 For more information MAF, Agrostatistics Department Edited by MAF, Agrostatistics Department Tel/fax: 980 82 94; E-mail: [email protected] Address: , 1040, MAF, 55 Hristo Botev Str. Website of MAF: www.mzh.government.bg Regional Agricultural Directorate – Montana http://www.mzh.government.bg/ODZ-Montana/bg/Home.aspx Address: Montana 3400, 1, General Stoletov Str., floor.1 tel./fax; 096/300-728; E-mail: [email protected]

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