National Statistical Institute

Agricultural and Forestry Accounts and Prices Department

Vyara Ilieva

Senior expert

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

VMIlieva@nsi.bg

+359 2 9857 465

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 quarterly and annual Producer Price Indices in Agriculture are calculated.

The main purpose of the Producer Price Indices in Agriculture is for:

· information about the change in trend in producer prices in agriculture;

· comparisons of price changes of different products within a country or between member states of the European Union;

· comparisons of the change in trends in producer prices and in the prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture;

· deflation of the agricultural output.

· 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 for EU agricultural prices, version 2.0, March 2008.

According to the Handbook for EU agricultural prices, version 2.0, March 2008 the scope of the Producer Price Indices in agriculture 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);
• 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 Price Indices in Agriculture

The indices are calculated by the Laspeyre's formula. It can be calculated for a period of several years without being necessary to alter the basket of representative products or the weights. Furthermore the parameters used for the calculation of the indices are well known at the time the base is established. Changes only need to be made when the evolution of the products used and of their relative importance have made the basic structure inappropriate.

· A weighting scheme for calculating the Producer Price Indices in Agriculture.

For the calculation of Producer Price Indices in Agriculture (Annex 2 of the Handbook) a weighting scheme should be available. Weights are calculated within the frame of the economic accounts for agriculture and they reflect the value of sales of agricultural products during the period (base) - quarter or year.

Agricultural holdings juridical and physical persons.

Framework of the study is:

· Annual Report of agricultural enterprises;

· Annual Report of non-financial enterprises.

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 2005 onwards.

· 2005 = 100; 2010=100; 2015=100 (base of Eurostat)

· corresponding quarter of the previous year = 100

· previous year = 100

Percent (%)

Quarter, year

· Law on Statistics;

· Regulation (EU) 2022/2379 on SAIO adopted on 23.11.2022, in force from 1 January 2025.

· National Statistical Programme;

· 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;

· 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;
• In compliance with the Regulation (EU) 2022/2379 on SAIO adopted on 23.11.2022, in force from 1 January 2025.

• 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;
• Law on Statistics.

Personal 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 Price Indices in Agriculture 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 Price Indices in Agriculture are available to all users on the IS Infostat and the NSI website under the heading Statistical data - Agriculture and Forestry: http://www.nsi.bg/en/node/4258

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 Price Indices in Agriculture in Bulgaria, 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 WG Eurostat "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 satisfied needs of users concerning data on Producer Price Indices in Agriculture were found out.

The production of statistical data is in accordance with the Handbook for EU Agricultural Price Statistics, version 2.0, March 2008, taking into account national specifics. The scope of the survey include information on the prices of all major agricultural products in order to provide representative data on producer price indices in agriculture.

The accuracy / quality of the data for the indicator is achieved by ensuring the representativeness of the observed agricultural products, maintaining the required number of price registrations and eliminating the extreme values of the prices from the processing of the information from the survey.

Not calculated

Not calculated

· Quarterly producer price indices in agriculture - 45 days after the reference period the data are sent to Eurostat and published on the NSI website according to the Calendar for dissemination of the results of the NSI statistical surveys; · Annual producer price indices in agriculture - 60 days after the reference period the data are sent to Eurostat and published on the NSI website according to the Calendar for dissemination of the results of the NSI statistical surveys; · Annual forecast data on producer price indices in agriculture - 45 days before the end of the reference period are sent to Eurostat. Not published for external users.

There are no delays in terms of the deadlines for sending the data to Eurostat and for publishing in the Calendar for dissemination of the results of the NSI statistical surveys.

The data are geographically comparable for the whole period for which they are available.

Data on producer price indices in agriculture are comparable over time for the whole period for which they are available.

Consistency is ensured with the data on the price indices of goods and services for current consumption in agriculture and with the consumer price indices. Consistency is ensured with the data for the satellite economic accounts for agriculture, when developing the weighting scheme for calculating the producer price indices.

The internal coherence of the data is ensured by tracking the deviations in the average prices compared to the previous period. Specially developed software is used for this purpose. In case of significant deviations (+; - 25% compared to the previous period) additional checks are made, and sometimes the extreme values are eliminated.

The expenditures (budget) for the surveys are published in the National Statistical Program on the NSI website. The time required for filling in the statistical forms is used as the main measure of the burden of the respondents at this stage. Each form includes a section that respondents must complete. The time required to complete the form also includes the time required to prepare the data.

There is no established data revision policy.

After receiving the data for the last quarter of the calendar year, the forecast data for the year are revised.

Questionnaire for producer prices in agriculture - quarterly. Used to collect price information on selected products for surveillance.

Quarterly

Data collection is in accordance with the calendar for the collection, processing and dissemination of statistical data of the NSI. The data are collected with a statistical on-line form, through which the respondents submit their information on the Internet or with a paper one, which is sent by ordinary mail.

The validation of the data in the process of statistical processing is performed with the help of specially developed software. The development of the software is in accordance with the terms of reference set by the experts responsible for conducting the statistical surveys. The validation of the data is performed at two levels - at the regional level - by the experts in regional offices and nationally - by the experts in the NSI.

The data processing is performed in accordance with the Calendar for collection, processing and dissemination of NSI statistical information. The data processing is performed with the help of specially developed software. The development of the software is in accordance with the terms of reference set by the experts responsible for conducting the statistical surveys. Data processing is performed at two levels - regionally - in RSOs and nationally - in NSI. At the regional level, the process includes data verification, data editing, data validation and the formation of a regional array. At the national level, the process includes verification of regional data, data editing, data validation, formation of a national array, tabulation, imputation and calculation of indices at databases: 2015 = 100, respectively quarter of previous year and previous year.

Not applicable