Surveys on agricultural distribution and agricultural use of fertilizers in Italy Mario Adua ISTAT- National Institute of Statistics

Summary Surveys: 1.Distribution of fertilizers for agricultural use 2.FSS – Survey on structural agricultural holdings 3.Use of plant protection products and fertilizers in major fruit trees cultivation 4.Use of plant protection products in specifics crops

Distribution of fertilizers for agricultural use General information Type of source: census statistical survey Survey unit: fertilizers distributor Scope or coverage: distribution of 75 types of fertilizers, crops, volumes in Kg of net nutrients per hectare cultivated Rappresentativity: exhaustive 1

Distribution of fertilizers for agricultural use Reference period: calendar year Frequency: annual Geographic coverage: NUTS 3 Non-response rate: not significant Techniques of data collection: postal survey 1

Variables surveyed Distributed quantity of 64 types of fertilizers Distributed quantity of 6 types of nutrients (N, K2O, P2O5, mesoelements, microelements, organic substances) Distributed quantity of types of nutrients per cultivated hectare Distribution of fertilizers for agricultural use

2 General information Type of source: random sampling statistical survey Sampling frame: agricultural census database Survey unit: agricultural holding FSS- structure of agricultural holdings

Scope or coverage: utilized agricultural area, livestock, UDE, use of mineral, organic and organic-mineral fertilizers in agricultural area Rappresentativity: 2,5% Reference period: FSS- structure of agricultural holdings

Frequency: on time study Geographic coverage: NUTS 2 Non-response rate:8% Techniques of data collection: face to face interview 2

Variables surveyed Area of holding treated with chemical fertilizers (ha) Area of holding treated with organic fertilizers (ha) Area of holding treated with organic- mineral fertilizers (ha) Quantity of organic fertilizers distributed by type (manure, sewage, etc) FSS- structure of agricultural holdings

Use of plant protection products and fertilizers in major fruit trees cultivation 3 General information Type of source: random sampling statistical survey Sampling frame: agricultural census database Survey unit: agricultural holding Rappresentativity: 1,25%

Use of plant protection products and fertilizers in major fruit trees cultivation 3 Scope or coverage: consumption of 64 types of fertilizers and consumption of 6 types of PPP and 3 toxicology classes by the main fruit trees cultivation Reference period: 2002 Frequency of the survey: on the time study

Use of plant protection products and fertilizers in major fruit trees cultivation 3 Geographic coverage: NUTS 2 Non response rate: 8% Techniques of data collections: face to face interview

Variables surveyed Quantity of fertilizers utilized per area, per major fruit trees cultivation Number of holdings treated with fertilizer per major fruit trees cultivation Use of plant protection products and fertilizers in major fruit trees cultivation

Use of plant protection products in specific crop 4 General information Type of source: random sampling statistical survey Sampling frame: FSS database Survey unit: agricultural holding Scope or coverage: use of plant protection products Rappresentativity: 0,25%

Use of plant protection products in specific crop 4 Reference period: crop year Frequency of the survey: annual Geographic coverage: NUTS 1 Non-response rate: 0% (non responses are replaced) Techniques of data collection: CATI- computer assisted telephone interviewing

Variables surveyed Utilized quantity of PPP, utilized per area and per crop Number of treatments on PPP per specific crop Area of holding treated with PPP Utilized quantity of types of active substances per hectare Use of plant protection products in specific crop

Suggestions We could evaluate the possibility to do a new survey of fertilizers similar to survey of PPP on specific crop. Use of plant protection products in specific crop

Conclusion Distribution of fertilizers for agricultural use The main source in Italy for each operator connected with fertilizers It can be considered a good example for other countries

Conclusion FSS We can evaluate the possibility to introduce some questions to collect information about fertilizers for each cultivation It is necessary to estimate costs and benefits

Conclusion Use of plant protection products and fertilizers in major fruit trees cultivation It has been a positive experience It is necessary to estimate costs and benefits

Conclusion Use of plant protection products in specific crop We can evaluate the possibility to introduce questions about fertilizers to obtain information on specific crop It is necessary to estimate costs and benefits

Future perspective of ISTAT It is very important to continue and to develop the surveys on the distribution and use of fertilizers We are evaluating the opportunity to introduce questions on fertilizers in other surveys (FSS, etc) It very important a financial contribution of UE We need to evaluate a contemporaneous collection of fertilizers and PPP per crop

Future perspective of ISTAT It can be useful a task-force in Eurostat We could evaluate to consider the possibility for a brand new “Regulation on fertilizers statistics”