Eleanor Mackay

SCOTLAND’S LATEST agricultural census has shown a sharp decrease in poultry and potato-growing land over the last year.

Poultry suffered the biggest fall, with an 11% decrease in chickens caused by the reduction in the broiler sector, which dropped 2.1 million birds to 5.7 million. Overall poultry numbers stand at 13.1million, the lowest on record.

The census also recorded to the smallest area of potato growing land on record, down 10% to 26,000 hectares.

However, the results show dairy cattle numbers continuing to grow, up 1.3% on last year, despite the industry being crippled by a surplus of milk. Overall beef cattle numbers fell by 0.5% to 710,000, but there was a 3% increase in calf numbers to 544,000 which boosted the total.

Sheep numbers increased for the second consecutive year, although the increase was only 0.1 per cent, to 6.7 million. While the numbers of both breeding ewes and lambs fell, there was a 9% increase in other sheep. Pig numbers also saw a small increase of 1500 – or 0.5% – to 318,000.

Meanwhile, the area of cereals decreased by 4% to 444,000 hectares, with a reduction in the area of barley, down 19,000 hectares to 308,000, and only very small increases in wheat (540 ha) and oats (560 ha). The area of oilseed rape decreased by 1300 hectares to 36,000 hectares. The area of fallow land almost trebled to 33,000 hectares.

Commenting on the results, NFUS policy manager Penny Johnston said: “Clearly the decrease in the broiler sector is extremely worrying, but not unsurprising, given that Scottish chicken production remains in a very vulnerable situation.” She added: “It is encouraging to see a modest increase in the Scottish pig herd, following its own period of structural changes and loss of infrastructure.”

NFUS cropping expert Peter Loggie added: “The drop in ware potato production is significant and the smallest planted area for two decades clearly reflects the poor returns from growing potatoes in recent years.

“On the up side, we are seeing a continuing increase in land being used for vegetable production, including vining peas and beans. The huge increase in peas for combining (138.6% up) and beans for combining (up 46.3%) shows how Scottish growers have reacted positively to the EU measure allowing protein crops to be planted as a Greening option.

“There is a real risk, however, that this progress will be put into reverse by Scottish Government’s further gold-plating of the management rules for Nitrogen Fixing Crops grown on Ecological Focus Areas.”

For in-depth news and views on Scottish agriculture, see this Friday’s issue of The Scottish Farmer or visit www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk