Explanatory Notes on Main Statistical Indicators

Indices of Agricultural Production Shows the relative level of the aggregate volume of agricultural production for each year in comparison with the base period 1999-2001. They are based on the sum of price-weighted quantities of different agricultural commodities produced after deductions of quantities used as seed and feed weighted in a similar manner. The resulting aggregate represents, therefore, disposable production for any use except as seed and feed.

All the indices at the country, regional and world levels are calculated by the Laspeyres formula. Production quantities of each commodity are weighted by 1999-2001 average international commodity prices and summed for each year. To obtain the index, the aggregate for a given year is divided by the average aggregate for the base period 1999-2001.

The FAO indices may differ from those produced by the countries themselves because of differences in concepts of production, coverage, weights, time reference of data and methods of calculation.

Cereals Area and production data on cereals relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Cereal crops harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed or silage or used for grazing are therefore excluded. Area data relate to harvested area. Some countries report sown or cultivated area only; however, in these countries the sown or cultivated area does not differ significantly in normal years from the area actually harvested, either because practically the whole area sown is harvested or because the area surveys are conducted around the harvest period.

Roots and Tubers, Total This includes other root crops such as yautia and arrowroot. Root crops grown principally for feed such as turnips, mangels and swedes are not included.

Rapeseed Sweden's production is given with an 18 percent water content. Figures for a few countries, such as India and Pakistan, also include mustard seed.

Sugar Cane and Sugar Beets Area and production data on sugar cane and sugar beets generally cover all crops harvested, except the crops grown explicitly for feed.

Most of the crop is used for the production of centrifugal and non-centrifugal sugar;

however, in several countries important quantities of sugar cane are used also for seed, feed, fresh consumption, the manufacture of alcohol and other uses; some sugar-beet production is used for feed and alcohol.

Fruit excluding Melons, Total Data refer to total production of fresh fruit, whether finally used for direct consumption for food or feed, or processed into different products: dry fruit, juice, jam, alcohol, etc.

Statistics on fruit, especially tropical fruit, are unavailable in many countries, and where reported they often lack uniformity. Generally, production data relate to plantation crops or orchard crops grown mainly for sale. Data on production from scattered trees used mainly for home consumption are not usually collected. Production from wild plants, particularly berries, which is of some importance in certain countries, is generally disregarded by national statistical services. Therefore, the data for the various fruits and berries are rather incomplete, particularly for regions other than Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. The totals shown — although relating to the limited number of countries listed — are nevertheless believed to give a reliable indication of these crops insofar as they influence international trade. The totals, in any case, provide an indication of annual changes in the size of the crops.

Production data include data published on individual fruits and berries shown separately, as well as data on all other kinds of fruits and berries. Dates, plantains and total grapes are also included in the total fruit figures, while olives are excluded. Total figures are more complete than those published for the single commodities because they include estimates for most of the non-reporting countries as well as data for countries reporting total production of fruits in a single figure without specification by kind.

Tea Production figures relate to made tea. For Indonesia, however, about one-third of the production shown is given in green-leaf weight. Myanmar each year produces about 45000 tonnes of tea leaves which are not included since most of the crop is consumed fresh as a vegetable.

Tobacco The production figures refer to farm sales weight as far as this could be determined. Data available on a dry weight basis have therefore been converted into farm sales weight at about 90 parts to 100.

Jute and Jute Like Fibres are obtained from Corchorus capsularis and Corchorus olitorius. Allied fibres include a number of jute substitutes, the main ones being kenaf or mesta and roselle (Hibiscus spp.) and Congo jute or paka (Urena lobata).

Livestock Numbers The data on livestock numbers are intended to cover all domestic animals irrespective of their age and the place or purpose of their breeding. Estimates have been made for non-reporting countries as well as for countries reporting incomplete data. However, in certain countries, data for chickens, ducks and turkeys do not yet seem to represent the total number of these birds. Certain other countries give a single figure for all poultry; data for these countries are shown under Chickens.

Meat Data relate to animals slaughtered within national boundaries, irrespective of their origin. Similarly, the data on production of horse meat, poultry meat and total meat refer to animals slaughtered in the country concerned, regardless of the origin of the animal.

The concept of indigenous production of meat is different. Here, the production figures relate to indigenous animals, i.e. they include the meat equivalent of exported live animals and exclude the meat equivalent of imported live animals.

Cow Milk Data on cow milk production relate to total production of whole fresh milk, excluding the milk sucked by young animals but including amounts fed to livestock. However, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy and Slovakia report production including milk sucked by young animals. Milk production data shown for Australia refer to years ending 30 June; and for New Zealand, to years ending 31 May. Also, a few other minor producing countries report data for periods other than the calendar year.

Eggs Some countries have no statistics on egg production, and estimates had to be derived from such related data as chicken or total poultry numbers and reported or assumed rates of egg laying.

Most of the countries that have statistics on egg production report either the total weight of eggs or the numbers of eggs produced; data on numbers have been converted into weight, using official conversion factors wherever possible. Data generally refer to total production, including eggs for hatching, in both agricultural and nonagricultural sectors.

Honey The data presented are incomplete, particularly with regard to African and Asian countries.

Wool Wool production statistics are generally given for greasy wool, which contains from 30 to 65 percent impurities. In order to make figures comparable, data are given also on a degreased (scoured) basis.

Tractors Data generally refer to total wheel and crawler tractors (excluding garden tractors) used in agriculture.

Harvester-Threshers Data refer to self-propelled machines that reap and thresh in one operation.

Milking Machines Data refer to the number of installations consisting of several units, each composed of a pail, a pulsator and four- teat cups and liners.