Sample survey of agriculture and forestry, 1 June 2001, preliminary figures

The number of farms has steadily decreased. Since 1989 the number of farms with agricultural area in use has dropped from 99 400 to 65 000.

The smallest farms account for the biggest decline. In 1989 37 per cent of the farms had less than 50 decares, while the figure for 2001 was 18 per cent. Farms with 200 or more decares in operation have increased in number since 1989.

The greatest decline in the number of farms since 1999 has been in the county of Aust-Agder, where the number dropped by 15 per cent. The smallest decrease in the number of farms has occurred in the counties of Sogn og Fjordane, Nord-Trøndelag and Nordland.

Less area ploughed in autumn

The area used for grain and oil seeds ploughed in the autumn represented 82 per cent of the total area for grain and oil seeds in 1989. After a pronounced decrease in the early 1990s, the area ploughed in the autumn accounted for 54-58 per cent of the area until 1999. In 2000 the area ploughed dropped to 45 per cent of grain area.

Tables:

• Table 1 Holdings. 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2001
• Table 2 Holdings, by size of agricultural area in use and county
• Table 3 Agricultural area in use, by size of holding and county. Decares
• Table 4 Agricultural area per holding, by county. 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2001. Decares
• Table 5 Tillage of area used for grain and oil seeds, by county