An analytical review of the Lithuanian agricultural and food sector in 2008 is aimed at providing information to representatives of governmental and self-governing authorities, scientific research and study institutions, and all interested in the development of agricultural and food sector, pisciculture and rural areas.
This is the tenth edition of the annual analytical survey prepared by the Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics (LIAE) on agriculture, processing industry, fisheries and rural development. This survey was prepared referring to the statistical information, accountability data of companies within this sector of the national economy, and the findings of surveys carried out by the LIAE staff.
Readers of the publication will have a nice opportunity to analyze the achievements and problems of the Lithuanian agricultural and food sector during the five year period after joining the EU and the single market, ways and methods of the EU and the national agricultural policy in addressing the challenges.
Surveys prepared by the LIAE for the previous period of the Lithuanian agriculture and food sector covering the five year period before joining the EU, provides with a good opportunity for comparison of the two periods. Notice should be given to the publication of 2004 where data is provided for the five year period before joining the EU.
Given readers were interested in earlier periods of developments in Lithuanian agriculture and food industry, problems and solutions, information may be obtained from the LIAE editions of 1999 and 2000.
Data of the survey in all ten editions is provided following single methodology and structure aimed at retaining the possibility for comparing the essential tendencies. This publication presents changes in the development of indicators of agriculture and food industry giving more attention to the events, documents and outcomes of the sector in 2008. The year of 2008 is significant because it was the eve of meeting hardships of the crisis, therefore analysis of activities by companies in the sector of agriculture and food industry gives the feeling of getting ready for the beginning of hard times.
As every year before some preliminary statistical indicators of 2008 were used in the survey. Final indicators and economic and financial outcomes will be reflected later in the publications of the Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and in the LIAE survey of the next year.
The publication is aimed at everybody interested in the achievements and problems of the agrarian and food sector. Information provided here might be useful as for agricultural specialists and scientists, farmers and entrepreneurs, as for teachers and students.
We are sincerely grateful to the Heads of the Lithuanian Department of Statistics and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania and their staff members for the provided statistical information and advice. Dear readers, we are kindly looking forward to your remarks, comments and proposals.
Dr. Rasa Melnikienė,
Director of the Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics
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