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 215 – November 2012 2010 2020020052005 Agricultural Census in 2010 DISTRICT – main results

General Characteristics of the District The Pleven District is situated in the North-West Region and is one of the 28 districts in Bulgaria (level A NUTS 3 of the common classification of territorial units for statistics of EU). The total area of the district is 4 653.3 sq. km, which represents 4.2% of the territory of G the country. The number of the settlements is 123, administered in 11 municipalities, the towns are 14, and the villages – 109. According to the population census R in 2011 the population in the district is 269 752 or 3.7% of the population in the country. The total utilized agricultural area (UAA) is 2 912 618.4 dca or 63% of O the territory of the district.

STRUCTURE OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS The number of agricultural holdings in the Pleven District is 12 924 or 3.5% of the holdings in the country. The utilized S agricultural area (UAA) is 2 912 618.4 dca, allocated in 12 510 holdings. The average value of the UAA for the district is 232.8 dca or 130% above the average value for the country – 101.3 dca. The holdings that do not have UAA are 414. The share of UAA in the municipalities are as follows: 14% in , Dolna Mitropolia Municipality and T , 10 % in Municipality, 9% in , 8 % in Municipality, and Municipality, 6% in and Municipalities and 4% in Municipality. The holdings cultivating more than 500 dca UAA are 477 (4 %) and cover 92% (2 680 028 dca) of the UAA in the district. The A agricultural holdings cultivating up to 10 dca are 9 294 or 74 % of the holdings with UAA in the district but they cultivate less than 1% (20 523 dca) of UAA.

T Table 1 Distribution of agricultural holdings in the Pleven District according to the size of the UAA by municipalities I UAA (dca) Total ≥ 100.0 and < = 0.0 > 0.0 and < 10.0 ≥ 10.0 and < 20.0 ≥ 20.0 and < 100.0 ≥ 500.0 500.0 Municipality Average Number Number Number Number Number UAA Number of UAA UAA UAA UAA UAA S size of of of of of (dca) holdings (dca) (dca) (dca) (dca) (dca) (dca) holdings holdings holdings holdings holdings T 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 Pleven District 12 924 2 912 618.4 232.8 414 9 294 20 523.1 906 12 186.5 1 182 52 918.2 651 146 962.7 477 2 680 027.9 Belene 472 115 851.7 253.5 15 337 689.0 35 476.5 39 1 963.0 28 6 068.4 18 106 654.8 I Gulyantsi 1 977 224 050.1 114.0 11 1 610 4 195.9 121 1 634.4 130 5 428.3 64 13 349.2 41 199 442.3 Dolna Mitropolia 1 509 416 094.2 307.1 154 730 1 570.3 142 1 838.3 258 11 901.6 136 31 044.6 89 369 739.4 C Dolni Dabnik 977 221 557.3 231.5 20 660 1 817.2 85 1 168.7 116 5 157.9 54 10 778.2 42 202 635.3 Levski 1 182 230 322.5 196.9 12 996 1 318.0 18 243.6 65 3 070.5 52 12 050.2 39 213 640.2 Nikopol 861 399 926.2 504.3 68 547 1 440.4 80 1 080.0 93 3 847.6 44 10 283.3 29 383 274.9 Iskar 682 168 443.6 247.3 1 490 1 321.7 42 544.6 53 2 513.5 53 11 508.3 43 152 555.5 S Pleven 1 920 403 422.1 215.8 51 1 369 3 058.3 137 1 875.4 198 9 043.5 95 22 775.6 70 366 669.3 Pordim 568 188 542.0 341.6 16 476 850.0 14 194.7 23 1 070.1 16 4 127.5 23 182 299.7 Cherven Bryag 1 768 247 972.9 141.3 13 1 443 2 856.3 138 1 836.9 94 3 819.3 42 9 586.8 38 229 873.6 Knezha 1 008 296 435.8 310.4 53 636 1 406.0 94 1 293.4 113 5 102.9 67 15 390.6 45 273 242.9 Results and analyses

Distribution of UAA in Pleven District UAA according to the legal status of the holdings The utilized agricultural area of 2 912 618 dca is allocated into 12 510 agricultural holdings located on the territory of Pleven Figure 1

District. The number of the owners who are natural persons is Associations

12 128 and they manage 20% of UAA and the average UAA per Commercial and others Natural holding is 47.6 dca. The commecial companies are 147 and they companies . 1% persons 20% cultivate 27% of the UAA with an average area of 5 443.4 dca. On 27% the territory of the district operate 159 sole traders who cultivate 28% of the UAA with the average size of the holdings 5 073.6 dca. There are 63 cooperatives on the territory of the district. They manage a total of 24% of UAA with average size of the area of 11 301.6 dca. The associations and holdings with other legal status Sole traders are 13 (monasteries, schools, institutes, etc.), they utilise 1% of 28% UAA with average area of 1 284.6 dca. 21% of the utilised land is Cooperatives owned by the holdings, 79% is rented. 89% of the utilized land is 24% owned by natural persons.

CROPS Distribution of UAA by crops The arable land in the district is 2 807 471 dca (96% of UAA) and Figure 2 it is managed by 7 901 agricultural holdings. 9% of the cereals and 10% of the industrial crops in the country are grown in the district Vineyards Others Wheat including 8% of the area with wheat, 10% – barley, 15% – maize, 1% 15% 31% 10% sunflower and 14% rape. The cereals occupy 58% of the Grassland 3% UAA in the district where 54% is the share of the wheat (31% of the UAA) and 28% of the grain maize (16% of the UAA). The industrial crops occupy 36% of the UAA in the district where 70% is the share of sunflower. The fodder plants are 2% of the UAA where the artificial meadows with legumes occupy 86% of their total area. Permanent grassland occupies 3% of the UAA. The area Barley with permanent crops accounts for 1% of the UAA where 75% are Sunflower 9% occupied by vineyards. Of orchards the largest share have the 25% Grain plums and wild plums– 50% and the walnuts are 23%. maize 16% LIVESTOCK Livestock, poultry and bees are bred by 11 425 holdings in the Allocation of livestock units district. Of them 27% breed cattle, 30 % – sheep, 41 % – goats, Figure 3 44% – pigs, and 79% – poultry. 22 237 heads of cattle are bred in Pleven District the average size of the herds being 7.3 heads. The 3% dairy cows are 13 902. The cattle, sheep, goats and pigs are bred BULGARIA 41% 12% 16% 20% 8% mainly on the holdings of natural persons – 88% of the cattle, 84% Pleven 42% 8% 10% 25% 10% of the sheep, 96% of the goats and 85% of the pigs respectively. 5% 66% of the poultry are bred on the holdings of commercial companies. 1 130 holdings raise 34 824 bee families 98% of them Cattle Sheep Goats Pigs Poultry Other

are in holdings of natural persons. Livestock units are standard measuring units which allow for unification of the different categories of animals for the purpose of their comparison. LABOUR FORCE

Number of persons employed in agriculture by gender 25 816 persons (seasonal workers not incl.) worked on the agricultural and age group holdings in 2010 the volume of their work input being 12 935 annual Figure 4 work units (AWU). 22 574 or 87% of those employed in the agriculture in the district were family labour force. The non-family labour (employees) accounted for 3 242 or 13% of the employed and over 65 years 5 031 3 504 they worked a total of 2 889 AWU. The seasonal workers worked 56 thousand man-days which represents 241 AWU. 40% ot those from 55 to 64 years 3 888 2 929 employed were women and 60% - men. The pensioners above 64 years working in agricultural holdings account for 33% of the from 45 to 54 years 3 030 2 019 employees while the workers up to 34 years were 7%. 84% out of 12 924 holding managers (including the natural persons) were from 35 to 44 years 2 175 1 334 men and 16% were women. The managers worked a total of 6 509

from 25 to 34 years. 1 008 549 AWU. Of them 5% were up to 34 years of age and above 64 years of age were 42%. under 24 years 248 101 Male Female

TYPOLOGY OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS In Pleven District predominate the holdings with mixed stock-breeding and those specialised in breeding of grazing animals – 24.6% and 20.6 % respectively. More than ⅔ of the standard output is formed by the holdings specialized in growing arable crops (70.7%).

2 MAIN RESULTS Table 2 Numbers of holdings and area with main crops, number of livestock and labourforce in the Pleven District BULGARIA Pleven District Agricultural areas and crop Holdings Area Holdings Area (number) (dca) (number) (dca) Utilised Agricultural Area 357 074 36 169 647.3 12 510 2 912 618.4 Arable land 250 728 31 249 279.8 7 901 2 807 471.0 Cereals 119 640 17 961 479.9 5 133 1 683 032.5 - Wheat 49 436 11 497 374.0 2 161 900 778.8 - Barley 19 759 2 523 437.0 1 201 257 891.7 - Rye 2 848 121 590.5 10 3 595.5 - Grain maize 68 381 3 151 539.5 4 165 478 855.7 - Lentils 130 29 031.0 15 4 303.0 Sunflower 16 873 7 325 024.3 1 646 737 712.9 Rape 1 927 2 231 852.8 178 307 644.9 Fodder crops 75 332 1 061 335.4 3 634 45 998.6 Kitchen gardens 227 930 103 646.5 10 703 4 382.3 Permanent grassland 107 267 3 820 229.9 691 75 877.7 Permanent crops 118 610 996 491.1 4 649 24 887.4 - Vineyards 87 002 523 356.7 4 116 18 673.5 - Fruit species 42 827 455 048.5 688 6 028.0 Apples 19 138 58 509.8 197 594.1 Plums and wild plums 16 273 83 745.8 456 2 998.4 Walnuts 2 938 62 212.2 70 1 398.7

BULGARIA Pleven District Types and categories of livestock Holdings Number of Holdings Number of animals* (number) animals* (number) Cattle 95 357 576 339 3 041 22 237 - Cows 86 210 347 291 2 697 13 924 Buffalos 1 028 10 038 87 620 Sheep 91 793 1 415 181 3 437 37 224 Goats 84 582 388 866 4 646 20 570 Pigs 82 265 670 469 4 987 15 991 - Sows 15 235 73 547 1 067 2 014 Total equidae 92 806 112 632 4 530 5 118 Poultry 185 455 17 491 187 9 055 850 918 - Hens for laying eggs and growing up hens 180 253 7 875 278 8 837 482 063 - Chickens for fattening 19 457 7 564 578 1 189 285 800 - Ducks 7 907 1 543 763 499 29 083 Bee colonies 23 982 588 694 1 130 34 824

*Except for the bees included in the number of the bee colonies. BULGARIA Pleven District Labourforce 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 25 816 22 574 3 242 Work input in AWU 389 107 336 766 52 341 12 935 10 046 2 889

Table 3 Typology of agricultural holdings in the Pleven District Types of specialist holdings Measuring Unit BULGARIA Pleven District % in the district

Number of holdings 370 222 12 924 100.0% Total SO (thousand Euro) 2 458 262.8 150 533.9 100.0% Number of holdings 63 112 1 442 11.2% Field crops SO (thousand Euro) 1 152 959.3 106 484.1 70.7% Vegetables, flowers and Number of holdings 18 223 191 1.5% Specialist Holdings — crops mushrooms SO (thousand Euro) 166 013.1 2 748.4 1.8% Number of holdings 32 111 464 3.6% Permanent crops SO (thousand Euro) 60 544.3 1 179.6 0.8% Number of holdings 88 630 2 660 20.6% Grazing livestock SO (thousand Euro) 379 412.6 14 242.2 9.5% Specialist holdings — animal production Pigs, poultry and Number of holdings 28 583 2 457 19.0% rabbits SO (thousand Euro) 348 827.3 12 726.2 8.5% Number of holdings 14 607 196 1.5% Mixed crop holdings SO (thousand Euro) 65 950.0 757.0 0.5% Mixed livestock Number of holdings 50 186 3 184 24.6% Mixed Holdings holdings SO (thousand Euro) 76 438.5 5 014.3 3.3% Mixed crop and Number of holdings 73 788 2 326 18.0% livestock holdings SO (thousand Euro) 208 117.7 7 382.1 4.9% Not classified holdings Number of holdings 982 4 0.0%

3

CENSUS OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS 2010: METHODOLOGY This publication presents and analyzes the data of 12 924 agricultural holdings located in the Pleven District which meet the thresholds for agricultural holdings. The agricultural holdings are grouped into "physical 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 ORGANISATION AND CONDUCTING OF

THE CENSUS Agricultural holding or „holding“ is a technical-economic unit, under single management, The census of the agricultural holdings was held which is engaged in agricultural production or maintains agricultural land in good from 1st September to 30th November 2010 in agricultural and environmental condition within the meaning of article 2, letter ‘a’ of accordance with the Law on Agricultural Census Regulation (EC) No 1166/2008 and meets at least one of the criteria laid down in Annex 2010 in Bulgaria. The information was collected by No 2 to article 5 of the Law on Agricultural Census 2010 in Bulgaria. interviewers who visited the holdings meeting the Utilized agricultural area (UAA) of agricultural holdings includes their arable land, criteria for an agricultural holding in the district and permanent crops, permanent grassland and kitchen gardens. interviewed their owners or managers. Arable land is agricultural land worked under a system of crop rotation on an annual basis 169 interviewers and 20 supervisors who were - area with annual crops as well as area under glass, area with strawberries, temporary specially trained worked on the territory of the grass, hops, oil rose, lavender, fallow land and area for production of seeds and seedlings. Pleven District during the census. The data entry Permanent crops are orchards, vineyards, area with berry plantations and nurseries from the completed questionnaires was followed by (including for forest trees). verifications and controls of compliance that aimed Permanent grasslands are natural meadows and low productive grassland of the holding to ensure the high quality of the collected which are cut or grazed by the animals. Area not used for production purposes but information. maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition is also included here. All participants in the collection and the processing The UAA of the holdings does not include common area used collectively by several of the data are obliged to keep strict statistical secret holdings for grazing animals. and the individual data of the holdings may not be Annual Work Unit – one AWU is equal to the hours work by a person employed on a full- used for other purposes but statistical ones (Chapter time basis during the whole year. In Bulgaria it is adopted that 1 AWU is equal to 1 856 VI of the Law on Agricultural Census 2010 in working hours during the year or 232 man-days. Bulgaria). Period of observation for the area is the crop year: from 1st October 2009 to 30th 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 THE 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.

This publication was editorially accomplished on 30 November 2012. For further information: MoAF, Agrostatistics Department Edited by: MoAF, Agrostatistics Department phone/fax: 980 82 94; E-mail: [email protected] Address: , 1040, MoAF, 55 Hristo Botev Blvd. MoAF’s Internet site: www.mzh.government.bg Regional Agricultural Directorate – Pleven http://www.mzh.government.bg/ODZ-Pleven/bg/Home.aspx Address: 5800 Pleven, 1, Str., 10th floor phone/fax: 064/802 320; E-mail: [email protected]

4