Scottish Agricultural Census: June 2018

Introduction

Main findings

Scottish agriculture was impacted by the effect of poor weather throughout last year.

The total number of sheep in Scotland fell over the past year. Snow from 'The Beast from the East' impacted lambing, contributing to an eight percent drop in lamb numbers compared to June last year; with total sheep numbers down by six per cent. Cattle numbers continue to fall in both the beef and dairy sectors.

Adverse weather conditions affected various crops in Scotland. Cereals, including barley, saw a fall in their total area due to poor planting conditions. The area of cereals is down three per cent compared to last year.

The total soft fruit area has increased for the fourth year in a row. The area used to grow food for human consumption fell for the first time since 2011.