In what direction is agricultural specialization headed in Central and Eastern Europe? (2005-2016)

Abstract

The paper deals with the main directions of specialization in Central and Eastern European Countries’ (CEECs, EU10) agriculture after the EU’s Eastward Enlargement. We analyse and compare growth and productivity advantages of specialized farm types by physical size (in hectare) in EU10 member-states to the EU10/27/15 average based on EUROSTAT data in the period of 2005-2016. We focus on exploring the main directions of specialization using such indicators as the number of specialized farms, land (Utilized Agricultural Area, UAA) and labour (Agricultural Working Unit, AWU) use on the input side, average farm size by land and labour use as well as area-, labour-, and total productivity on the output side. We conclude that the directions of specialization in farming in EU10 were based on the traditional farm production structure making the latter better able to adjust and take advantages of Common Agricultural Policy. Concerning production growth rate, the three leading specialization types of CEECs’ farms were: (i) cattle rearing and fattening, (ii) cereals, oilseed and protein crops and (iii) fruits and citrus fruits. These three specialization types of farms – in the same ranking order - also increased land (UAA) and labour (AWU) use well above the average. Specialized cereals farms and cattle rearing and fattening farms were also ranked in top three by number. Both cereals and fruits specialized farms have leading position in growth rate of land and labour use and also are in top three in growth rate of land area and total farm productivity. Cereals and fruits specialized farms also more than doubled labour productivity during the first decade after the EU’s Eastward enlargement but did not rank in the top three in this category.