National Statistical Institute

Agricultural and Forestry Accounts and Prices Department

Gergana Pavlova

Chief expert

2, P. Volov Str.; 1038 Sofia, Bulgaria

[email protected]

+359 2 9857 546

The data are developed in compliance with the general requirements of Handbook of EU Agricultural Price Statistics, Version 2.0 March 2008.

Thus achieving harmonization in the field of price statistics and indices in agriculture with the EU practice regarding the definitions, techniques of price registration, type of calculated indices, survey periodicity and classifications used.

Data sets of not weighted average quarterly and annual prices of agricultural products are calculated.

The main purpose of the average prices is:

· calculation of price indices;

· calculation of output value within the satellite Economic Accounts for Agriculture.

· Classification of Economic Activities - 2008 (CEA-2008, for international use NACE.BG-2008);

· Nomenclature of production in agriculture, forestry and fisheries (Prodagro);

· Annex 1 of the Handbook of EU Agricultural Price Statistics, Version 2.0, March 2008.

In the framework of the EU Producer Prices in Agriculture, the value of sales should:

• include the value of production sold to dealers;
• include the value of direct sales by farmers of crop products made to other agricultural units;
• include the value of direct sales by farmers on the domestic market;
• include the value of direct sales by farmers abroad (direct exports);
• include the value of products processed on the farm, which, except in the case of olive oil and grape must or wine, must be calculated on the basis of the quantities and prices of the raw materials from which they are made;
• include the value of product related levies/taxes (other than deductible VAT).

In the framework of the EU Producer Prices in Agriculture, the value of sales should:

• exclude the value of any monetary compensation received by farmers in respect of the destruction of given quantities of products;
• exclude the value of subsidies on products which farmers might have received;
• exclude the value of consumption of own produce on agricultural holdings;
• exclude the value of products sold from private, non-agricultural gardens;
• exclude the value of changes in stock.

Producer Prices in Agriculture.

The producer price is ?farm gate price?. It does not include the cost of shipping, storage, transportation and other expenses incurred in the sale or purchase of agricultural products. Price does not include the subsidies on products, VAT and other taxes paid.

In the first phase of a study on producer prices in agriculture information on prices most of the farms selling agricultural products defined by their qualitative and quantitative characteristics. Information is usually collected once when changing the base year every five years. Build products defined product nomenclature monitoring used in the next five years.

The second stage of the study to collect information on the prices of products defined. According to the methodology taking into account the price of the biggest selling quantified for each month of the reference period. For daily sales into the sale price on a certain day of the week.

From the collected prices calculated not weighted average price of the product for the period.

· Agricultural holdings ? juridical and physical persons;

· Processing industries;

· Wholesalers of agricultural products.

Framework of the study is:

· Annual report of agricultural enterprises;

· Annual report of non-financial enterprises.

The units for observation are selected through defining threshold in terms of value and with requirement to cover 75% of the channel realization.

For all territory of the country (NUTS0).

From 2007 onwards.

Not applicable.

BGN

· Quarter;

· Year.

· Law on Statistics;

· Memorandum of Understanding between the National Statistical Institute of and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, which distributes the responsibilities for the production of statistical information on agriculture;

· National Statistical Programme;

· Gentlemen's Agreement between the Member States and Eurostat;

· Handbook for EU Agricultural Price Statistics, Version 2.0 March 2008.

Agreement between the National Statistical Institute and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food for data exchange and strategic partnership.

· Law on Statistics;

· Regulation EC/223/2009 on European Statistics (consideration 24 and article 20 (4) of 11 March 2009 (Ob L 87, p. 164) foresee that for that purpose it is necessary to establish common principles and guidelines, ensuring data confidentiality of data used for production of European Statistics and access to those confidential data with account for technical developments and requirements of users in democratic society.

Individual data shall not be published, observing art. 25 of the Law on Statistics. The dissemination of individual data is made only under Art. 26 of the Law on Statistics.

The schedule for dissemination of statistical information is published in the Calendar for the presentation of the results of statistical surveys carried out by the NSI.

The Calendar is available on the NSI website: http://www.nsi.bg/en/node/480

Data on the Producer Prices in Agricultural are published on the NSI website according to the Chapter 5 of the Law on Statistics and European Statistics Code of Practice, considering professional independence and with aim of impartiality and transparency, where all users are treated equal.

Quarterly

Quarterly press releases are disseminated on the website of the NSI. The press releases dissemination is done by the Calendar for presentation of the results of statistical surveys carried out by the NSI.

· Statistical Reference Book;

· Statistical Year Book.

Detailed data on Producer Prices in agriculture are available to all users of the NSI website under the heading Domain statistics - Agriculture: http://www.nsi.bg/en/node/4240

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

· Handbook for EU Agricultural Price Statistics, Version 2.0 March 2008.

Methodological inventory related to methodology used for data compilation on the Producer Prices in Agriculture in Bulgaria was elaborated within Eurostat Project.

The methods and procedures for data calculation in compliance with the EU methodology are periodically described and documented.

During the meetings of Eurostat WG "Agricultural accounts and prices" methodological issues are discussed and examples for good practices for data calculation are provided from Member States.
The comparative analysis of the data with previous years is done.

No discrepancy with EU methodology is found out.

· NSI ? Economic Accounts for Agriculture, National Accounts;

· Eurostat;

· State Administration - Ministry of Agriculture and Food and other institutions;

· Scientific and Research Institutes;

· Business Structures;

· Individuals.

No surveys have been conducted to the satisfaction of the needs of users of information about Producer Prices in Agriculture. Informal contacts with data users shows a needs for data at lower territorial level and more detailed positions, especially in relation to the compensation of the farm for any loss of production. Needs for this kind of information has been established after received in the NSI requests (letters) by post or email.

The production of statistics is under Handbook for EU Agricultural Price Statistics, Version 2.0, March 2008, and taking into account national peculiarities. Within the scope of the study information for all main agriculture products.

Accuracy/data quality is achieved by providing representativness of the observed producer prices, maintaining the necessary registrations and elimination of extreme price values from data processing.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

· Quarterly data on Producer Prices in Agriculture - 45 days after the reference period data are published on the website of the NSI;

· Annual absolute Producer Prices in Agriculture - 60 days after the end of the reference year data are sent to Eurostat and published on the website of the NSI.

Not delays in the deadlines for submission of data to Eurostat and dissemination in the Calendar for presentation of the results of statistical surveys carried out by the NSI were admitted.

Data are geographically comparable for the entire period for which they are available.

The data on Producer Prices in Agriculture are over-time comparable, for entire period, for which they are available.

There is data consistency between the producer prices and prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture.

Internal data consistency is ensured by examination of the variation in the average prices in comparison with the previous period. For this purpose specially developed software is used. If significant deviations are detected (+, -25% compared to the previous period) additional checks are made and sometimes extreme values are eliminated.

The budget of the surveys is published in the National Statistical Programme on the NSI website.
As basic criteria for the measurement of the response burden at this stage the time required for filling-in the questionnaire is used. Each form includes such section that respondents must fill-in. The time needed for filling-in the form includes also the time for data preparation. Based on this information, the burden on respondents can be defined as relatively high.
In 2011, by order of the President of NSI special thematic working group of representatives from several RSOs, to review and suggest measures for improvement of statistical tools in the field of agriculture and forestry statistics, was established.
One of the main objectives of this review was to reduce the burden on respondents.
As a result of suggestions made by the TWG were taken the following actions:

? further use of modern means for statistical data collection (introduction of on-line and off-line questionnaires)
? reducing the number of parameters in the statistical questionnaires.
? use of information from other sources

There is no established policy on revisions.

After receiving the data for the last quarter of the year, revisions to the preliminary data are made.

? Questionnaire on the characteristics of agricultural products - single. Used only once, as usual before the changing of base year
? Questionnaire for producer prices in agriculture -quarterly. Used to collect information about the prices of the selected for observation products

Quarterly

Data collection is in accordance with a Calendar for data collection, data processing and data dissemination of the NSI.

Data are collected by statistical electronic on-line form through which respondents submit data via internet or hard copy to be sent by post. Data from farm households are collected by phone or visit on the farm and an interview with the head of household or other household member who is familiar with the work.

The validation of data is done by using developed software for this purpose. Software development is in accordance with the Terms of Reference, elaborated by the experts responsible for the conduction of statistical surveys. Data processing is performed at two levels: at regional level - from experts in the RSOs, and at national level - from experts in the NSI.

Data compilation is carried out in accordance with a Calendar for data collection, data processing and data dissemination of the NSI. Data processing is performed by using developed software for this. The development of software is in accordance with the Terms of reference, elaborated by the experts responsible for the surveys implementation. Data processing is performed at two levels: at regional level ? from experts in the RSO's and at national level ? from experts in the NSI.
At regional level, the process includes data control, data editing, data validation and establishment of a regional data base.
At the national level, the process includes control of regional data, data editing, data validation, establishment of a national data base, data tabulation, imputation and tabulation (calculation of average prices).

In accordance with weighting scheme for the calculation of indices so called "Seasonal Baskets" are used for fresh fruits and vegetables.