Economic Accounts for Agriculture

The value of the agricultural industry’s output amounted to €7.6 bn in 2019 (+2.5%), with increases in the output values of both animal and crop production (+2.8% and +1.8% respectively). The rise in the value of animal output was mainly due to the strong (price-led) increase in the output value of pigs. The output value of milk remained stable, whereas the output value of cattle declined. The slight increase of the value of crop output was mainly the results of higher output values of vegetables, cereals, potatoes, oilseeds and oleaginous fruits as well as forage plants. In contrast, there were decreases in the output value of fruit and wine.

The cost of intermediate consumption of goods and services reached €4.3 bn, with an expected rise by 1.3% compared to 2018. Average prices for intermediate inputs were 0.9% higher than in the previous year, largely as a result of a marked increase in the prices for fertilisers. Expenses for fixed capital consumption accounted for €1.8 bn (+2.4%).

The value of overall subsidies (product-specific subsidies and other subsidies on production) accounted for €1.5 bn in 2019 (-1.3%). The decrease was mainly attributable to the discontinuation of the compensation payments provided for drought damages in 2018.

Methodology

The Economic Accounts for Agriculture are drawn up in accordance with the currently applicable methodology for the Economic Accounts for Agriculture in the European Union regulated in Regulation (EC) No. 138/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as amended.

The EAA delivery programme to Eurostat includes the compilation of two estimates. The EAA results presented here are the second estimate for 2019 and are based on the database available in January 2020. The provisional character of the calculations must be considered, since the basic data for 2019 were only partially available at this time and the existing data therefore had to be supplemented by forecasts and projections.

Semi-definitive EAA data for 2019 will be available in July 2020, final data in July 2021. As the latest available data is being continually incorporated into the calculation system, already completed reporting years are still subject to revisions.

Regional Accounts for Agriculture (RAA) at NUTS 2 level - Results for the Länder (federal provinces) for 2018

About three quarters of the output value of the agricultural industry in Austria are generated in the federal provinces of Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Styria. In 2018, Lower Austria produced 32%, Upper Austria 23% and Styria 19% of the Austrian total. Burgenland accounted for a share of 7%, Carinthia for a share of 6% and Tyrol and Salzburg for a share of 5% each. Vorarlberg and Vienna contributed 2% and 1%, respectively.

The RAA shows the obvious disparities in the agricultural production programme that exist between the federal provinces. In Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna crop output accounts for more than half of the overall agricultural output value, whereas animal production dominates in the other federal provinces. Non-agricultural secondary activities play an above average role in Vorarlberg, Salzburg, Tyrol and Carinthia.

Due to the different production programmes and further influencing factors such as differing weather conditions, changes in the output value and value added of the agricultural industry usually vary across the federal provinces. In 2018, the value of the agricultural industry’s output increased in six federal provinces (Styria: +5.8%, Vienna: +5.6%, Tyrol: +4.2%, Lower Austria: +2.9%, Salzburg: +2.7%, Vorarlberg: +1.6%). It showed a stable development in Burgenland (-0.3%). Decreases were recorded in Upper Austria (-4.3%) and Carinthia (-2.8%).

Gross value added at basic prices grew in Lower Austria, Styria, Vorarlberg and Vienna, whereas it declined in the other five federal provinces.

Methodology

In addition to the Economic Accounts for Agriculture (EAA) for Austria, the Regional Accounts for Agriculture provide data relating to the economic situation in agriculture at the level of the Länder (federal provinces). They highlight regional disparities, and provide data on the contribution made by the individual federal provinces to the total output value and value added of domestic agriculture.

Data of the RAA for a reference year (n) are published in October of the year n+1. The current data for the federal provinces for 2018 are provisional. They are consistent with the national EAA data published in July 2019.

Unlike the national EAA, the regional data are not updated several times a year, which means that deviations may occur compared with the current EAA results at the national level.