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Agriculture : Eurostat: Romania, the eighth agricultural power of the EU in 2018
The economic accounts for agriculture show that total agricultural output in the European Union (EU) stood at €434.3 billion in basic prices in 2018, slightly up (by 0.6%) compared with 2017. In 2018, the equivalent of 58.2% (or €252.6 bn) of the value of agricultural output generated was spent on intermediate consumption (input goods and services), while gross value added (i.e. the value of output minus the value of intermediate consumption) was the equivalent of 41.8% (or €181.7 bn).
The combination of the limited increase in the value of agricultural output and a stronger increase in intermediate consumption (+3.8%) resulted in a decrease in the gross value added (-3.5%) generated by the EU agricultural industry in 2018 compared with 2017.
With €77.2 bn (or about 18% of the EU total) in 2018, France had the highest total agricultural output among Member States, followed by Italy (€56.9 bn, or 13%), Germany (€52.7 bn, or 12%) and Spain (€52.2 bn, or also 12%), the United Kingdom (€29.8 bn, or 7%), the Netherlands (€28.2 bn, or 6%), Poland (€25 bn, or also 6%) and Romania (€18.6 bn, or 4%). This information comes from final data issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Highest rise of agricultural output in Slovenia
In half of the EU Member States, the value of agricultural output increased in 2018, while in the other half it decreased. The highest increase, in relative terms, was recorded in Slovenia (+17.9%), ahead of Romania (+8.0%) and Croatia (+5.9%). In contrast, the value of agricultural output decreased in Denmark (-8.9%), Sweden (-8.8%) and Lithuania (-7.4%). Among the Member States with the largest agricultural industry, the value of total agricultural output increased by 5.6% in France and by 3.0% in Spain and Italy, while it decreased by 6.3% in Germany.
Increases for wine, grapes and grain maize; decreases for pigs and milk
A price change or a volume change, or a combination of the two, influence the value of agricultural output. EU animal output decreased in value (-2.4%) in 2018 compared with 2017, with volume up by 1.2% and prices down by 3.5%. The lower value in 2018 was mainly due to decreases of 7.4% for pigs, 3.2% for milk and 1% for cattle, mostly as a result of decreases in prices.
The value of crop output increased in the EU by 2.7%, with volume up by 3.5% and prices down by 0.8%. The rise was mainly due to increases of 23.7% for wine, 14.2% for grapes, 11.6% for grain maize, 8.8% for potatoes and 7.7% for fruits.
Although the value of agricultural services and other agricultural activities (inseparable) increased in 2018 compared with 2017, their impact on the overall evolution of agricultural output is not significant. EU agricultural input costs (intermediate consumption) increased in value (+3.8%).
This was mainly due to a rise of 8.7% for energy and lubricants as well as of 6% for animal feedingstuffs, although this was partially offset by a decrease for fertilisers and soil improvers and plant protection products.