The Use of Cereals

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Food Industries, Business Statistics
Simone Thun
+45 51 36 92 51

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The Use of Cereals 2021

The purpose of the statistics is to compile a grain balance, primarily with the aim of calculating the quantities of grain that go to feed consumption, both for each individual crop and for the total amount of grain. In the grain balance, the amount of grain from harvest and import is calculated, and it is distributed among different uses. The statistics are used to calculate the Economic Accounts for Agriculture. Supply balance sheets for cereals for the crop year have been compiled since 1900/01. Balance sheets for the calendar year have been compiled since 1961. Data in its present form is comparable from 1995 onwards.

Statistical presentation

The statistics is an annual calculation of the supply balance sheets for cereals in million kg. The utilization of cereals is calculated both for calendar year and crop years and is published for 6 different cereals and cereals in total. The supply balance sheets contain for each type of cereals statistics on cereals available: harvest, imports and initial stocks, as well as statistics on the use of cereals for different purposes: exports, final stocks, seeds, flour production and other manufacturing, feeding. Moreover, the supply balance sheets are produced based on the origin of the cereals, whether it is produced in Denmark or abroad.

Statistical processing

The data is collected in biannual and annual questionnaires where the incoming data is checked. Data is from different sources where some are sample surveys and others are censuses why there can be differences in how the further data is calculated. Censuses are aggregated whereas sample surveys are listed according to known target variable.

Relevance

It is relevant for the agricultural organizations, ministries and agencies, who uses it to follow the development in the use of cereals in Denmark. Moreover it is an input to the Economic Accounts for Agriculture. The users can comment on the statistics in the user committee for agricultural statistics and the users have expressed satisfaction with the statistics.

Accuracy and reliability

The utilization of cereals are build on sample surveys for stock of cereals at farms, the harvest of cereals and international trade of goods and the results are therefore subject to some uncertainty. The data on the use of cereals for feeding are subject to some margin of errors, as the use for feeding is calculated as a residual in the balance sheets. The data on the use of cereals for feeding are subject to some margin of errors, as the use for feeding is calculated as a residual in the balance sheets.

Timeliness and punctuality

It is published twice a year- The statistics concerning the crop year, end of period June 30th, is published in January together with the feed consumption, approximately 6 months after the end of the reference period. The statistics following the calendar year is published in May together with the Economic Accounts for Agriculture, barely 6 months after the end of the reference period. Data is preliminary until 2,5 years after the end of the reference period. The statistics is punctual and is published without delay.

Comparability

The utilization of cereals is comparable back to the crop year 1960/61 and the calendar year 1960. Stocks were not a part of the statistics before 1960. It is in compliance with the current EU legislation and it is an input to the Economic Accounts for Agriculture which is comparable to the Economic Accounts for Agriculture published by Eurostat.

Accessibility and clarity

These statistics are published in the StatBank under Crop production.