Estonia - Agriculture



In 1999, agricultural lands covered 1,433,200 ha (3,541,200 acres), or 31.7% of Estonia's land area. During the Soviet period, forced collectivization reduced the share of labor in agriculture from 50% to less than 20%. By 1999, however, there were 41,446 private farms, and just 734 state enterprises and cooperatives. Agriculture accounted for 15.1% of GDP in 1991 and 6% in 2001.

Principal crops in 2001 included potatoes, 343,100 tons; barley, 270,000 tons; wheat, 133,000 tons; rye, 42,900 tons; and legumes, 6,500 tons. In 2001 agricultural products accounted for7.5% of exports and 11.4% of imports; the agricultural trade deficit was $292.8 million that year.

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