Provisional figures on the marketed output value produced by the agricultural sector in Malta during 2022 reveal an increase of 10.7 per cent over 2021 to a total of €135.5 million; whereas the intermediate consumption, which comprises an array of expenses incurred by the sector, increased by 15.6 per cent to a total of €84.4 million. As a result, the gross value added rose by 3.6 per cent to a total of €51.1 million. Also, the cost of depreciation of fixed capital operated by the sector edged upwards by 0.1 per cent to a total of €6.9 million, whereas the total wage bill incurred by the agricultural holdings for the hiring of workers increased by 9.8 per cent to €6.0 million.
When compared with the financial support distributed during the preceding year, the total assistance coming from both EU-funded programmes and Government funds paid to this sector dipped by 16.8 per cent to €23.5 million. Consequently, the net operating surplus of the sector declined by 5.4 per cent to €61.7 million. Moreover, when considering the negative net property income of €1.0 million paid by the agricultural holdings during 2022, the resulting net entrepreneurial income registered by this sector dropped by 5.5 per cent to €60.6 million (Table 1, Charts 1 and 2).
The aforementioned increase in the marketed value of the agricultural output resulted practically in all the agricultural activities in this sector. Indeed, products obtained from secondary activities, crop products, animal-derived produce as well as livestock products increased by 16.4, 11.2, 10.6 and 9.5 per cent respectively (Table 2, Chart 3).
On the other side, the intermediate consumption registered by the sector, which sums up a range of expenses incurred by the agricultural holdings, recorded higher expenses on crop cultivation, livestock feeding, other expenses as well as energy and fuel costs of 30.2, 16.1, 14.4 and 2.1 per cent respectively (Table 3, Chart 4).
Chart 1. The agricultural sector's output, intermediate consumption and gross value added
in € thousands
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Chart 2. Net entrepreneurial income of the agricultural sector by year
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Chart 3. The percentage share of agricultural output by category of produce and year
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Chart 4. Agricultural intermediate consumption by category and relative share of total expense: 2022
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Methodological Notes
1. The data published in this release is based on the methodologies for the Economic Accounts for Agriculture and Forestry (EAA/EAF 97, Rev. 1.1).
2. Data on the generated output of agriculture is collected from a number of sources. The civil abattoir provides monthly slaughtering statistics by type of animal, while the private slaughterhouses supply data on the volume and value of slaughtered poultry. The principal fruit and vegetable markets provide data on the volume and wholesale value of the produce harvested by the farmer, the Rural Development Department provides administrative data on the activity of wineries, whereas the Agriculture and Rural Payment Agency provides data on subsidies. Separately, the NSO collects statistical data through an annual survey on the quantity and value of tomatoes picked for processing, while it also makes use of other available data sources for the estimation of some other specific variables in this release.
3. Data on intermediate consumption is based on compilations whose sources are administrative records and input price indices that are collected on a quarterly basis from the retail businesses that cater for the agricultural sector.
4. The Economic Accounts and the other economic indicators published in this release refer to a complete calendar year.
5. The data in this release is provisional and subject to revision. Updates are carried out annually in respect of a rolling two-year period.
6. Definitions:
● Output represents the total value of agricultural produce generated through agricultural activity over an entire calendar year period.
● Intermediate consumption represents the value of specifically classified goods and services used as inputs in agricultural production processes, with the exception of some specific items which, by methodology, are classified elsewhere.
● Gross value added of the agricultural activity is the value of output less intermediate consumption by all the agricultural holdings before deducting any incurred gross fixed capital consumption (i.e. depreciation of fixed assets).
● Net entrepreneurial income measures the net operating surplus of the agricultural holding with the addition of any net property income (i.e. after adding and deducting any transactions such as rents and interest).
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- During 2022, output generated by the agricultural sector increased over that registered during the preceding year by 10.7 per cent to €135.5 million.
- Intermediate consumption, consisting of various expenses incurred along the different production processes of this sector, rose by 15.6 per cent over 2021 to a total of €84.4 million.
- As a result, it is calculated that the gross value added of the agricultural sector improved by 3.6 per cent to €51.1 million.
