Economic accounts for agriculture (EAA): documentation of statistics

The statistics cover all units participating in agricultural production, excluding what is referred to as subsistence agriculture, meaning that production solely for a farmer and their family’s own use is not included in these statistics. Industry 01 in NACE Rev. 2 includes the following sub-industries: 

01.1: Growing of non-perennial crops, 01.2: Growing of perennial crops, 01.3: Plant propagation, 01.4: Animal production, 01.5: Mixed farming, 01.6: Support activities to agriculture and post-harvest crop activities, and 01.7: Hunting, trapping and related service activities. In line with guidelines, the processing of agricultural products taking place at farms is included in the accounts if the processed products have been grown or raised at the farm in question. A list of agricultural activities characteristic of the EAA corresponds with these seven groups (01.1 to 01.7) with the following exceptions: The definition of units included in the agriculture industry differs slightly in the Economic Accounts for Agriculture and the National Accounts. The differences can be summarised as follows:

EAA Agricultural kind-of-activity units (KAUs) of agriculture = NA agricultural KAUs -

production units that also offer agricultural services other than those carried out as agricultural work (such as machinery companies providing agricultural services)

+ separable secondary activities of agriculture in units whose main type of activity is not agriculture.

The statistics aim to describe particularly the professionally performed agriculture industry. The unit currently used for statistical studies of agriculture, such as surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings, is the local KAU most appropriate to the agricultural industry – a farm. Given that the production engaged in on farms is nevertheless very diverse, the strict application of the ESA rule should in fact result in a division of the farm into several separate local KAUs in cases where several activities of the NACE Rev. 2 four-digit class are performed on the same farm. Finland applies 1) an institutional unit in sector accounts, 2) an establishment that corresponds to a local KAU; this unit is used in production accounts, investments and in supply and use tables.

Using the local KAU as a basic unit of agriculture means that non-agricultural secondary activities may also be recorded in the EAA if they cannot be separated from the main activity of agriculture. The inseparable agricultural secondary activities of local agricultural KAU’s are defined as activities closely linked to agricultural production. Such subsidiary income inseparable from principal production related to output, intermediate consumption, compensation of employees and labour input which cannot be separated from pure agriculture are included in the EAA as inseparable subsidiary income and costs.

The selection criterion for inseparable non-agricultural secondary activities is not so much the nature of the product as the type of activity. For example, agritourism services provided by a farm must only be included if they cannot be separated from the farm’s agricultural activities.

The reference area of the Economic Accounts for Agriculture is the whole of Finland.

In Finland, the EAA have only been published since 2019. The time series published domestically starts from 2010. Finland has submitted the Economic Accounts for Agriculture to the Statistical Office of European Union Eurostat as of Finland’s membership in the EU.  The coherent time series in the EU database in terms of Finland begins from 1975.

The concept of 'base period' is not applied in the EAA. Instead, some variable of the accounts are formed with the concepts ‘at previous year's prices’ and ‘with chained volumes’. Expressing variables at previous year's prices allows the calculation of volume indices between the current time period and the preceding year. Once the reference year has been selected, the volume indices can be chained to all of the reference year’s variables at current prices. This produces a volume estimate for all of the desired periods.

In the EAA, all flows and assets are measured in monetary values. The only exception to this rule are variables related to agricultural labour force, which are expressed as persons and hours worked. In addition to current (market) prices, some variables in the economic accounts are also expressed at previous year's prices and as chained volume data; see section Base Period.

The reference period is a calendar year. The EAA are calculated on an accrual basis, meaning that the reference year describes the production and use period, which does not necessarily correspond with the period of sale and purchasing. For example, grains produced (harvested) in year n are valued to the EAA of year n, including any part sold or used the following year.

The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.

Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.

Further information: Statistical legislation

The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.

Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.

Further information: Statistical legislation

The compilation of statistics is guided by the general act of the national statistical service, the Statistics Act (280/2004, amended by 361/2013). Only the necessary data that are not available from administrative data sources are collected from data suppliers. Index series are published so that no individual enterprise’s data or development can be deduced from them.

The Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) published in Finland are based on Regulation (EC) No 138/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 December 2003. The Regulation establishes a legal basis pertaining to all member states for the compiling of economic accounts for agriculture.  The 2003 Regulation has been amended on several occasions:

by 306/2005, 909/2006, 212/2008, 1350/2013 and 2019/280.

The European Communities have not delegated separate powers on sharing the data of the EAA.

The most important sources in the compiling of the EAA are agricultural statistics and administrative sources.

The estimation of crops is normally based on the volume of the crops produced and harvested. In most cases, the compiling relies on data concerning areas under crops and crop estimations. The use of crops is studied with separate statistics describing the intended use (bread grains, feed grains, intermediate consumption, etc.).

The most important data sources for measuring animal production consist of statistics on slaughterings, exports/imports of live animals and the size of herds. The output of animal products (mainly milk) is generally estimated using sales to user branches (dairies, packers) because of the specific uses to which they are put.

The price statistics on agriculture are the most important source for estimates on agricultural production and intermediate consumption. Prices and price indices are also an important source when calculating the value of production at fixed prices.

The majority of agriculture’s intermediate products can only be used extensively in agriculture (seeds and nursery stocks, fertilisers, pesticides, etc.). In such cases, the statistics on the trade of agricultural equipment provide reliable source data on the intermediate consumption in question.

Regarding data on the agricultural labour force, the surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings are usually the most important data source. Expert assessments are also used in some cases, often to adjust the coverage of the field.

Nationally, the Economic Accounts for Agriculture are published once a year. The data resource is saved in Statistics Finland’s PxWeb database in connection to the release.  The compiling of the EAA does not involve direct data collection. Rather, the data are based on other statistics and administrative sources, collected whenever the source data in question are released.

The data collection methods and data sources used in Finland for the Economic Accounts for Agriculture are described in section 18 in the description available on Eurostat’s website.

The purpose of data validation is to ensure that the selected data content has gone through an approval. The final validation of the EAA is carried out by Eurostat following the data’s delivery to Eurostat. The preliminary validation of the data takes place at Statistics Finland by comparing the data to the data of earlier years and to data describing the same topic.

The data of the EAA are calculated at current prices and at previous year’s prices in respect of all products, as required by Regulation (EC) No 138/2004. The data at the base year’s prices (n = 2010 and n = 2005) are calculated by using data on the current (n) and previous year’s (n-1) prices. Data on values expressed in real terms (2010, 2005 and n-1 values) are calculated with the help of national GDP deflators.

Indicators A, B and C are calculated with the help of values expressed in real terms and labour input data. Volume, price and value, nominal and real-time indices are compiled on the basis of current values, standard price values and values expressed in real terms.

In Finland, the data in the EAA are mostly based on Official Statistics of Finland (OSF) and the data obtained from them. The production of the OSF statistics is primarily based on the law, due to which their production is also carefully supervised. Eurostat has also increased the checking and validation of data in recent years. In Finland, the reliability of the accounts is ensured by comparing them to other economic statistics, such as the statistics on the finances of agricultural and forestry enterprises produced by Statistics Finland and the profitability accounting of agriculture produced by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). Some of the statistics used as source data are sample surveys, the reliability of which is based on statistical representativity.

The data in the EAA delivered to Eurostat can be revised yearly in respect of, say, the entire time series. The data may become more accurate if new and more accurate source data are available, or when the compiling methods change in a material way. Statistical errors are adjusted on the statistics’ home page.

Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.

The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.

The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.

Further information: European Statistics Code of Practice | Statistics Finland and Recommendations of the Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland | Statistics Finland

Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.

The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.

Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data.

The EAA are published once a year, in December, in the form of annual statistics at the same time as the first preliminary of the current year’s results is submitted to Eurostat. The production and release schedule of the EAA is therefore tied to the data’s delivery to Eurostat. In terms of the current year, the data is very preliminary, given that they are published before the end of each year. While the data published in terms of earlier years are, of course, more precise, particularly the data concerning the previous year are usually revised slightly, especially in respect of intermediate consumption.

In Finland, the Economic Accounts for Agriculture were published for the first time in 2019, due to which experience in the punctuality of releases only extends to a short period of time.

The comparability of the EAAs produced by the EU’s Member States is ensured by applying a common regulation and compiling methods. Even so, the national data sources may differ from each other to a considerable degree and this may impair the comparability between the countries.

With regard to an individual country, comparability over time usually improves the longer the country has been producing the EAA. Changes in the systems of agricultural subsidies have complicated comparisons over time.

The development of the data in the EAA has been largely consistent with the joint development of the statistics on agricultural production and the price statistics of agriculture. The EAA validation includes comparisons to these statistics. The key indicators of the EAA (production, intermediate consumption, gross value added, etc.) are comparable with the figures on agriculture (NACE 01) in the national accounts. Member States are informed of the greatest deviations for research purposes.

Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.

Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland

Statistics Finland's release calendar: Future publications

Future publications of the statistics can be found on the page of the statistics at: Future publications of the statistics

The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.

Further information: Publication principles for statistics

Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data. The terms of use for statistical data.

In Finland, the EAA are published once a year in December, at the same time as the first preliminary data of the current year are submitted to Eurostat.

The release is published annually on the home page of the statistics.

The database tables of the statistics can be found in the StatFin database.

The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Finnish Data Protection Act are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.

The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.

Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)

In a statistical sense, ‘confidential data’ means data which allow statistical units to be identified, either directly or indirectly, thereby disclosing individual information. To determine whether a statistical unit is identifiable, account shall be taken of all relevant means that might reasonably be used by a third party to identify the statistical unit. Although national accounts data are usually highly aggregated, there may be possible cases for detailed breakdowns of aggregates and/or small economies. In these cases measures should be taken in order not to disclose data of a separate statistical unit. Guidance on how to prevent disclosure can be found in the Handbook on Statistical Disclosure Control. The data submitted are flagged either by ‘N= not for publication before embargo date’ or ‘F=free’