European Neighbourhood Policy - South - agriculture statistics
Data extracted in March 2023.
Planned article update: April 2024.
Highlights
In 2021, the contribution of agriculture, forestry and fisheries to value added in the European Neighbourhood Policy-South countries varied between 13.4 % in Morocco and 1.4 % in Israel, compared with 1.8 % in the EU.
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries accounted for between 31.2 % of the workforce in Morocco and 0.8 % in Israel in 2021, compared with 3.8 % in the EU.
Employment in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, 2011, 2020 and 2021
This article is part of an online publication and provides data on agricultural statistics for nine of the countries that form the European Neighbourhood Policy - South (ENP-South) region — Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine [1] and Tunisia; no recent data are available for Syria. The article gives an overview of the key characteristics of agriculture in these countries and in the European Union (EU), providing statistics on the economic contribution of agriculture, forestry and fisheries as well as agricultural output, including crop and livestock production.
Full article
Gross value added and employment
From 2011, the share of the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector in total gross value added declined in more than half of the ENP-South countries (see Figure 1): in Egypt (-2.8 percentage points (pp) between 2011 and 2017; more recent data not available), Palestine (-2.5 pp between 2011 and 2021), Lebanon (-0.9 pp between 2011 and 2020; no 2021 data available) and Israel (-0.6 pp between 2011 and 2021). By contrast, increases were recorded in Algeria (+4.0 pp between 2011 and 2021), Tunisia (+2.1 pp between 2008 and 2020; no 2021 data available) and Morocco (+2.0 pp between 2011 and 2021). In the EU, it remained relatively stable (-0.1 pp between 2011 and 2021).
The share of output of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the total gross value added was the highest for Morocco in 2021 (13.4 %), followed by Algeria (12.6 %), Egypt (11.7 %; 2017 data) and Tunisia (11.1 %; 2020 data). The rest of the countries had shares below 7 %: Palestine, with 6.0 %; Lebanon, with 3.2 % (2019 data) and Israel, with 1.4 %, which was lower than the share in the EU, which was 1.8 % in 2021. There is no recent data available for Jordan, but the share was 4.1 % in 2011.
(% share of total gross value added)
Source: Eurostat (nama_10_a10) and (enps_nama_10_a10)
Figure 2 shows a similar analysis of employment for 2011, 2020 and 2021. Among the ENP-South countries for which data are available, the employment share of agriculture, forestry and fisheries (for those aged 15 years and over) in 2021 was the highest in Morocco (31.2 %). The next largest shares were observed in Egypt (19.2 %) and Tunisia (11.6 %). The remaining countries had all shares below 10 %: Algeria (9.6 % - 2019 data), Palestine (6.7 %), Lebanon (4.1 % - 2022 data) and Israel (0.8 %). In comparison, the share in the EU was 3.8 % in 2021.
The share of the total workforce in agriculture, forestry and fisheries fell between 2011 and 2021 (2022 for Lebanon) in all ENP-South countries for which data for both periods are available and in the EU. The contraction in Egypt was the greatest, with this share reduced by 8.9 pp followed by Morocco (-8.6 pp), Palestine (-5.2 pp) and Algeria (-1.2 pp between 2011 and 2019). Within the EU, the share fell by 1.3 pp. More data on the labour markets in the ENP-South countries are available in the Statistics Explained article European Neighbourhood Policy - South - labour market statistics.
(% share of total employment)
Source: Eurostat (lfsa_egan2) and Eurostat data collection
Land use
The area that is used for agriculture varies according to climate, terrain and soil type, while the level of economic development and population density may also play a role in determining land use. Within the EU roughly equal amounts of land (almost two-fifths of the total area) are used for agriculture and for forestry, with the remainder generally composed of built-up areas (villages, towns and cities), infrastructure (roads or railways), scrub or waste land.
The utilised agricultural area (UAA) refers to the area that is actually used for agricultural purposes. The UAA was more than half of the total area in Tunisia (although no recent data are available, it was 56.5 % in 2011 – see Figure 3), while in the other ENP-South countries for which data are available (no data for Egypt and Palestine) the share was considerably less, reflecting the mountainous terrains and desert landscapes of some ENP-South countries. The utilised agricultural area represented 26.0 % of the total area in Lebanon in 2021 (2010 data used for total area), 13.1 % of the total area in Israel in 2021 and 9.3 % (2019 data) in Morocco. Lower shares were recorded in Algeria (3.6 % - 2018 data used for total area) and in Jordan (3.2 % - 2018 data used for total area). In comparison, in 2020 (no 2021 data), the UUA represented 38.3 % of the total area in the EU.
(% share of total area)
Source: Eurostat (apro_cpsh1), (reg_area3), (enps_ef_lus_main) and (enps_reg_area3)
Agricultural production
Several of the ENP-South countries are often characterised as being arid areas of unfertile soil, covered with rock and sand. Nevertheless, there are pockets of more fertile land within each of the ENP-South countries, particularly along river valleys or close to the coast. While the winter months often see relatively high levels of rainfall, some regions receive little or no rainfall during the summer months. The variability in rainfall patterns can play a considerable role in determining the success or failure of each harvest (as reflected in the figures for harvested production).
The largest producers of cereals (excluding rice and including seeds) among the ENP-South countries were Egypt, with 17.7 million tonnes in 2020 (no 2021 data available), Morocco, with 10.4 million tonnes in 2021 and Algeria, with 2.8 million tonnes in 2021. In Israel, Lebanon and Jordan, the volumes were below 200 000 tonnes in 2021. No recent data are available for Palestine and Tunisia; however, the levels of cereals production for Palestine were 54 000 tonnes in 2008 and for Tunisia 2.3 million tonnes, including wheat (soft and hard), barley and triticale, in 2011. In comparison, 294.8 million tonnes of cereals were produced in the EU in 2021 (282.5 million tonnes in 2020).
When looking at potatoes (including seed), the largest producer among the ENP-South countries was Egypt, with 6.8 million tonnes in 2020 (no 2021 data available), followed by Algeria with 4.4 million tonnes in 2021. The next country was Morocco with 1.6 million tonnes in 2021. In 2021, in Lebanon, Israel and Jordan, the volumes were below 600 000 tonnes. No recent data are available for Palestine and Tunisia, however the levels of potatoes produced were 69 000 tonnes in 2008 and 367 000 tonnes in 2011, respectively. In comparison, 50.4 million tonnes of potatoes were produced in the EU in 2021.
The picture for fresh vegetables (including melons) is quite similar to potatoes. The largest producer among the ENP-South countries was Egypt with 19.9 million tonnes in 2019 (more recent data not available), followed by Algeria with 14.6 million tonnes in 2021 (15.1 million tonnes in 2020), Morocco with 7.3 million tonnes in 2019 (more recent data not available), Jordan with 1.8 million tonnes in 2021 and Israel with 1.3 million tonnes in 2021. No recent data are available for Palestine and Tunisia, however the levels of fresh vegetables produced were 281 000 tonnes and 2.7 million tonnes in 2011, respectively. No data is available for Lebanon. In comparison, 65.8 million tonnes of fresh vegetables were produced in the EU in 2021 (62.1 million tonnes in 2021).
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(thousand tonnes)
Source: Eurostat (apro_cpnh1) and (enps_apro_cpnh1)
Livestock: population structure and production
While farming of livestock in the ENP-South countries is shaped by climatic and topographic conditions, cultural and religious traditions also affect the types of animals that are reared. Many subsistence farmers in the ENP-South countries keep a small number of animals on their farm which may be used for eggs, milk, wool/hides, as well as for their meat.
The population of sheep and goats in most of the ENP-South countries was relatively high. This may, at least in part, be linked to the ability of these animals to survive in arid conditions (whereas the ideal conditions for rearing cattle include a plentiful supply of pasture). Pig farming is almost non-existent in ENP-South countries, reflecting the religious practices of their majority Muslim or Jewish populations.
Table 2 provides an analysis of farm animals for the ENP-South countries and the EU in December 2011, 2020 and 2021. The total number of cattle across the ENP-South countries for which data are available (2021 data for Algeria, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Palestine, 2011 data for Egypt and for Tunisia) equated to just 14.4 % (11 million heads) of the total in the EU (76 million heads in 2021). Data availability for the ENP-South countries is similar for sheep and goats: based on the information shown in Table 2 there were around 70 million sheep in the ENP-South countries and 18 million goats. As such, the number of sheep and goats were greater than the totals across the EU in 2021 where they were 61 million and 12 million, respectively.
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(thousand heads)
Source: Eurostat (apro_mt_lscatl), (apro_mt_lsgoat), (apro_mt_lssheep) and (enps_apro_mt_ls)
The structure of animal output — as measured by the quantity of slaughtered production — differs from the structure of the animal populations in each country, in large part due to the fact that a proportion of cattle, sheep and goats are reared for milk (or wool in some cases) rather than for meat. In all of the ENP-South countries for which data are available (see Table 3), poultry accounted for the highest quantity of slaughtered production in the most recent year for which data are available. Egypt had the highest quantity of slaughtered poultry with 2.2 million tonnes in 2020 (no 2021 data available). Each of the other countries had less than one-third of that. The production from sheep was the highest in Algeria with 342 000 tonnes in 2021 far beyond the other ENP-South countries where the volumes varied from 5 000 tonnes (Lebanon in 2021) to 50 000 tonnes (Morocco in 2021). Regarding cattle, Egypt had the largest slaughtered production with 850 000 tonnes in 2011 (more recent data not available), followed by Algeria with 420 000 tonnes in 2011, but only 143 000 tonnes in 2021. In the other ENP-South countries the volumes varied from 15 000 tonnes (Lebanon in 2021) to 221 000 tonnes (Morocco in 2021). In comparison, there were 6.8 million tonnes of slaughtered cattle production in the EU in 2021. Recent data for sheep, goats and poultry at EU level are confidential or not available. In 2009, there were 447 000 tonnes of sheep slaughtered in the EU.
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(thousand tonnes)
Source: Eurostat (apro_mt_pann) and (enps_apro_mt_p)
Trade in food and live animals
The value of international trade in food and live animals has grown at a rapid pace over the last decade in nearly all of the ENP-South countries; note this may, in part, be due to increased prices as the values shown in Table 4 are presented in current prices. Fluctuating prices for raw and processed foodstuffs may have a considerable impact on the trade position of a country, while climatic conditions can affect yields and determine if there is a surplus of food for export or if there is a deficit which may lead to higher levels of imports.
Collectively, the exports of food and live animals from ENP-South countries (excluding Lebanon) were valued at €13.1 billion in 2021 (2020 data used for Egypt and Libya), equivalent to 9.6 % of the EU total, while the value of imports of these goods into the ENP-South countries was €31.1 billion, equivalent to 28.9 % of the EU total.
(€ million)
Source: Eurostat (ext_st_eu28sitc) and (enps_ext_sitc)
The highest value of exports of food and live animals from the ENP-South countries in 2021 was recorded for Morocco (€6.2 billion). Egypt was second with €2.8 billion in 2020 (no 2021 data available), despite a large drop of 28.9 % compared with 2019. Israel and Jordan followed with €1.6 billion and €1.0 billion, respectively, in 2021. The other countries recorded less than €1 billion in 2021: Tunisia recorded €889 million, Algeria €461 million and Palestine €127 million. Libya had the lowest level of exports of food and live animals among the ENP-South countries, €22 million in 2020 (no 2021 data available). In comparison, there were €136 billion exported from the EU to the rest of the world in 2021.
Exports of food and live animals from Libya were almost 17 times higher in 2020 than in 2011, when it was €1.3 million. Exports of food and live animals from Morocco and Palestine more than doubled in 2021 compared with their level in 2011, while exports from Algeria doubled between 2011 and 2021. There were also substantial growths recorded for Israel (+17.5 % between 2011 and 2021) and Jordan (+13.4 %). In Tunisia, there was an increase by 10.0 % between 2011 and 2021. Egypt was the only country to report a slight decline (-1.1 %) between 2011 and 2020 (no 2021 data available); however, when comparing 2011 to 2019, there was a large growth of 39.1 %. For comparison, the EU exports to the rest of the world increased by 58.6 % between 2011 and 2021.
The highest values of imports of food and live animals from the ENP-South countries in 2021 were recorded for Algeria (€7.5 billion), Israel (€6.0 billion) and Morocco (€5.5 billion). They were followed by Jordan (€3.5 billion), Egypt (€3.3 billion - 2020 data), which saw the values of imports almost halving compared with 2019, Libya (€2.3 billion – 2020 data), Tunisia (€1.7 billion) and Palestine (€1.5 billion). In comparison, there were €107.8 billion imported in the EU from the rest of the world in 2021.
Imports of food and live animals from Palestine trebled between 2011 and 2021, while Israel and Morocco nearly doubled over the same period. There were also large growths recorded for Libya (54.4 % between 2011 and 2020), Jordan (+54.2 %) and Tunisia (+28.9 %) over the same decade. In Algeria, 2021 level was also higher than in 2011 (+11.2 %). By contrast, Egypt was the only country to report a large decline between 2011 and 2020 (-58.7 %). When comparing 2011 to 2019, there was already a large fall of 21.3 %. For comparison, the EU imports from the rest of the world increased by 28.3 % between 2011 and 2021.
Source data for tables and graphs
Data sources
The data for ENP-South countries are supplied by and under the responsibility of the national statistical authorities of each country on a voluntary basis. The data that are presented in this article result from an annual data collection cycle that has been established by Eurostat. No recent data are available from Syria. These statistics are available free-of-charge on Eurostat’s website, together with a range of different indicators covering most socio-economic areas.
The situation for international trade statistics is somewhat different, as more detailed international trade statistics are available from Eurostat’s Comext database. All statistics presented in this article as monetary values in euro terms are based on current price series.
The utilised agricultural area describes the area used for farming. It includes arable land, permanent grassland, permanent crops (such as orchards, olive trees and vineyards) and other agricultural land such as kitchen gardens.
Statistics on crop production relate to harvested production. Cereals include wheat (common wheat and spelt and durum wheat), rye, maslin, barley, oats, mixed grain other than maslin, grain maize, sorghum, triticale, and other cereal crops such as buckwheat, millet, canary seed and rice.
Meat production is based on the activity of slaughterhouses regarding meat fit for human consumption.
The data for the EU presented in this article come from Eurostat's online database, including trade data from Comext.
Tables in this article use the following notation:
| Value in italics | data value is forecasted, provisional or estimated and is therefore likely to change; |
| : | not available or unreliable value; |
| :c | confidential. |
Context
Agriculture was one of the first sectors of the economy (following coal and steel) to receive the attention of EU policymakers, and statistics on agriculture were initially designed to monitor the main objectives of the Common agricultural policy (CAP). While the CAP remains one of the EU's most important policies, it has undergone a widespread evaluation, which has led to a range of new objectives designed to correct imbalances and overproduction.
In December 2013, a reform of the CAP was formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. The main objectives of the CAP for the period 2014-2020 was to strengthen the competitiveness of the sector, promote sustainable farming and innovation, to support jobs and growth in rural areas and to move financial assistance towards the productive use of land.
In 2018, the European Commission presented legislative proposals for a new, reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) beyond 2020. The reformed CAP should be key to helping the European Union achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal, and 40 % of the funds allocated to the CAP over the next 7-years programming period should be dedicated to actions contributing towards these.
The reformed CAP will help European farmers to contribute more decisively to tackling climate change, protecting the environment and moving to more sustainable and resilient food systems. It will generate economic opportunities for farmers and improve their position in the food supply chain, and better link support for farm income and rural areas to the take-up of sustainable models and practices.
On 2 December, 2021, the agreement on reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP) was formally adopted. The new legislation paves the way for a fairer, greener and more performance-based CAP. The reform covers three regulations, which apply from 1 January 2023:
For the years 2021-22, a transitional regulation (Regulation (EU) 2020/2220) was in force, extending and amending provisions set out in the preceding regulations.
The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), launched in 2003 and developed throughout 2004, supports and fosters stability, security and prosperity in the EU's neighbourhood. The ENP was revised in 2015. The main principles of the revised policy are a tailored approach to partner countries; flexibility; joint ownership; greater involvement of EU Member States and shared responsibility. The ENP aims to deepen engagement with civil society and social partners. It offers partner countries greater access to the EU's market and regulatory framework, standards and internal agencies and programmes.
The Joint Communication on Renewed Partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood – A new Agenda for the Mediterranean, accompanied by an Economic and Investment Plan for the Southern neighbours, of 9 February 2021 further guides cooperation with the ENP-South countries.
The main objective of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in statistics is to enable the production and dissemination of reliable and comparable data, in line with European and international norms and standards.
Reliable and comparable data are essential for evidence-based decision-making. They are needed to monitor the implementation of the agreements between the EU and the ENP-South countries, the impact of policy interventions and the reaching of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The EU has been supporting statistical capacity building in the region for a number of years through bilateral and regional capacity-building activities. This takes the form of technical assistance to partner countries' national statistical authorities through targeted assistance programmes, such as the MEDSTAT programme and activities such as training courses, working groups and workshops, exchange of best practice and the transfer of statistical know-how. Additional information on the policy context of the ENP is provided here.
Notes
- ↑ This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the EU Member States on this issue.
Direct access to
Books
Factsheets
- Statistics for a green future — factsheets on European Neighbourhood policy-South Countries — 2022 edition
- Basic figures on the European Neighbourhood Policy-South countries — 2022 edition
- Basic figures on the European Neighbourhood Policy-South countries — 2021 edition
Leaflets
- Basic figures on the European Neighbourhood Policy — South countries — 2020 edition
- Basic figures on the European Neighbourhood Policy — South countries — 2019 edition
- Basic figures on the European Neighbourhood Policy — South countries — 2018 edition
- Basic figures on the European Neighbourhood Policy — South countries — 2016 edition
- Basic figures on the European Neighbourhood Policy — South countries — 2015 edition
- Agriculture and fisheries (enps_agrifish)
- Agriculture (enps_agri)
- Total area (enps_reg_area3)
- Main farm land use (enps_ef_lus_main)
- Crop production (enps_apro_cpnh1)
- Livestock (enps_apro_mt_ls)
- Meat production (enps_apro_mt_p)
- Agriculture (enps_agri)
- Southern European Neighbourhood Policy countries (ENP-South) (enps) (ESMS metadata file — enps_esms)