Pesticide Usage in Scotland: Soft Fruit Crops 2022

This publication presents information from a survey of pesticide use on Soft Fruit Crops in Scotland during 2022.


Appendix 2 – Survey statistics

Census and sample information

Table 21 Census crop areas 2021 (there was no census in 2022)
Census area (ha) of soft fruit crops grown in Scotland
Crop Scotland 2021 Scotland 2020 Percentage change
Strawberry 1,187 1,194 -1
Raspberry 243 241 1
Blackcurrant 320 297 8
Blueberry 253 265 -4
Mixed and other soft fruits 157 172 -9
All soft fruit 2,159 2,168 <0.5

Note: data taken from the 2021 and 2020 June Agricultural Census. There was no census in 2022, see changes from previous years section for full details.

All areas exclude multi-cropping.

It was estimated from the crops encountered in the 2022 sample, that 11 ha of the mixed and other soft fruit categories in the census were raspberry, strawberry, blueberry or blackcurrant.

Table 22 Distribution of soft fruit sample - 2022
Number of holdings surveyed in each region and size group
Size(1) (ha) North Angus South Scotland
0.01 - 4.99 20 11 5 36
5.00 - 9.99 1 7 3 11
10.00 - 19.99 1 11 1 13
20 + 0 17 4 21
All sizes 22 46 13 81

(1) Refers to the total area of soft fruit crops grown on the holding, including those grown in the open and those grown under glasshouse or walk-in plastic structures.

Table 23 Non-protected soft fruit sample areas - 2022
Area (ha) of non-protected soft fruit crops in sample
Size(1) (ha) Scotland(2)
0.01 - 4.99 35
5.00 - 9.99 27
10.00 - 19.99 57
20 + 244
All sizes 363
Table 24 Non-protected soft fruit census areas - 2021 (there was no census in 2022)
Area (ha) of soft fruit grown in the open in Scotland
Size(1) (ha) Scotland(2)
0.01 - 4.99 117
5.00 - 9.99 44
10.00 - 19.99 85
20 + 349
All sizes 596

(1) Refers to the total area of soft fruit crops grown on the holding, including those grown in the open and those grown under glasshouse or walk-in plastic structures.

(2) Regional data have not been provided in order to prevent disclosure of information relating to fewer than five holdings.

Note: there was no June 2022 Agricultural Census, therefore data was taken from the June 2021 Census – see changes from previous years section for further details.

Table 25 Protected soft fruit sample areas - 2022
Area (ha) of protected soft fruit crops in sample
Size(1) (ha) Scotland(2)
0.01 - 4.99 8
5.00 - 9.99 52
10.00 - 19.99 106
20 + 782
All sizes 948
Table 26 Protected soft fruit census areas - 2021 (there was no census in 2022)
Area (ha) of soft fruit grown under protection in Scotland
Size(1) (ha) Scotland(2)
0.01 - 4.99 39
5.00 - 9.99 75
10.00 - 19.99 224
20 + 1,225
All sizes 1,563

(1) Refers to the total area of soft fruit crops grown on the holding, including those grown in the open and those grown under glasshouse or walk-in plastic structures.

(2) Regional data have not been provided in order to prevent disclosure of information relating to fewer than five holdings.

Note: there was no June 2022 Agricultural Census, therefore data was taken from the June 2021 Census – see changes from previous years section for further details.

Table 27 Non-protected soft fruit raising factors - 2022
Size(1) (ha) North Angus South
0.01 - 9.99 3.1524 2.1810 2.8119
10.00 - 19.99 1.3109
20 + 1.2815 47.5417
Table 28 Protected soft fruit raising factors - 2022
Size(1) (ha) Angus North & South
0.01 - 4.99 6.0857 4.2630
5.00 - 9.99 1.3356 1.8307
10.00 - 19.99 2.1645 1.9154
20 + 1.3253 2.8837

(1) Refers to the total area of soft fruit crops grown on the holding, including those grown in the open and those grown under glasshouse or walk-in plastic structures.

Note: raising factors are calculated by comparing the sampled crop area to the census crop area.

Table 29 Non-protected soft fruit first and second adjustment factors - 2022
Crop North Adj. 1 Angus Adj. 1 South Adj. 1 Adj 2
Strawberry 0.8671 3.2376 0.6859 1.0000
Raspberry 6.5422 2.9656 4.2511 1.0000
Blackcurrant 6.1809 0.7722 1.2296 1.0000
Other soft fruit 1.0993 1.7985 1.0067 1.0000
Table 30 Protected soft fruit first and second adjustment factors - 2022
Crop Angus Adj. 1 North & South Adj. 1 Adj 2
Strawberry 1.0087 1.0489 1.0000
Raspberry 1.2408 0.6449 1.0000
Other soft fruit 0.8813 0.9630 1.0000

Response rates

The table below summarises the number of holdings contacted during the survey.

Table 31 Response rate
2022 Percentage total
Target sample 82 100
Total achieved 81 99
Total number of refusals/non-contact 24
Total number of farms approached 105

Financial burden to farmers

To minimise the burden on farmers, the survey team used non-visit methods of collection such as email, post or telephone call, where possible.

To determine the total burden that the 2022 Soft Fruit Crop Survey placed on those providing the information, the surveyors recorded the time that respondents spent providing the data during the surveys. This sample represents 100 per cent of growers surveyed. The median time taken to provide the information was 15 minutes.

The following formula was used to estimate the total cost of participating:

Burden (£) = No. surveyed x median time taken (hours) x typical hourly rate*

(* using median “Full Time Gross” hourly pay for Scotland of £16.69)(5)

The total financial burden to all growers resulting from participation in the 2022 Soft Fruit Crop survey was calculated to be £337.97.

Contact

Email: psu@sasa.gov.scot

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