Documentation of Food potato storage statistics

Data description

The Food Potato Storages statistics estimate the on-farm stocks of potatoes that can be used as food potatoes, as well as the total volume of food and processed food potatoes. The figures for total stocks also include seeding potatoes.

Classification system

Data is given for the whole of Mainland Finland and by ELY-Centre.

Plant names food potato and processed food potatoes used in the statistics follow the names included in the registers of rural administrations (plant codes).

Sector coverage

The statistics cover farms in the database of the Administration for Rural Activities (under the Agency for Rural Affairs) with an area of over 5 hectares cultivated with food and food-industry potatoes.

The statistics only include the stock of potatoes eligible for trade farmed on one’s own farm. This includes potatoes stored on farm and outside the farm in rented storage. Potatoes stored on farm but bought from or produced by other farmers are not included in the statistics.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Area only includes the harvested area; thus, area of damaged crops or other unharvested areas are not included.

Statistical unit

The statistics describe the stock volumes of food and processed food potatoes on farms included in the register of agricultural and horticultural enterprises on 15.11. and 15.1. 

Statistical population

The statistics cover farms in the database of the Administration for Rural Activities (under the Agency for Rural Affairs) with an area of at least 5 hectares cultivated with food and food-industry potatoes.

Unit of measure 

Area is given in thousands of hectares (1 ha = 10,000 m2). Area only includes the harvested area; thus, area of damaged crops or other unharvested areas are not included in the production area.

Crop production is given both in kilogrammes per hectare and in total, in millions of kilogrammes. Crop production of cereals, oleaginous plants, and protein crops is the dried crop yield.

Reference period

The statistics describe the stock volumes of food and food-industry potatoes annually, on 15th of January and 15th of October.

Frequency of disseminations

Twice a year, the state on 15.10. and 15.1.

The statistics are compiled based on the Act on the Natural Resources Institute Finland (561/2014), the Act on Food and Natural Resource Statistics (562/2014), and the Statistics Act (280/2004). 

More information: Statistics legislation

Confidentiality - policy

Confidentiality is a base principle of statistics and assures the confidential processing of data provided by informants, and the Natural Resources Institute Finland has undertaken to follow this principle. Micro-data is confidential and must never be released for administrative decision-making, investigation, surveillance, legal proceedings, or similar purposes.

Confidentiality - data treatment

The confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed according to the Statistics Act (280/2004), the Personal Data Act (523/1999), the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (2016/679). Data is protected at all stages of processing using the necessary physical and technological solutions. The staff only has access to information necessary for their duties. Unauthorised people do not have access to spaces in which micro-data is processed. Staff members have signed a non-disclosure agreement when entering duty. Intentional breach of confidentiality will be penalised.

More information: Privacy policy – Statistics

The disseminations of the Natural Resources Institute Finland are published online on weekdays at 9:00.  Data is public after it has been published on the website.

Release calendar

Publication dates are confirmed in autumn together with the action plans. The release calendar of the following year is published for users in the end of the year. The release calendar holds data on the dates of future publications. The publication dates are published in the calendar at first with an accuracy of one week, and two months prior to the publication date with an accuracy of a day. The calendar also contains direct links to already published statistical publication. 

Release calendar access

Statistical releases calendar | Natural Resources Institute Finland

Quality assurance

The Natural Resources Institute Finland follows the Code of Practice and the Quality Assurance Framework of European statistics when compiling statistics. The Code of Practice concern the independence and accountability of statistics authorities, and the quality of processes and published data. The principles are compatible with and supplement the Principles of Official Statistics, agreed upon by the United Nations Statistical Commission. The quality criteria of official statistics in Finland are also compatible with the Code of Practice of European statistics. The principles are also compatible with the European Foundation for Quality Management.

Checks for faulty data in the data collection application mostly prevent accidental mistakes. The data collected is reviewed and edited after data collection.

Quality assessment

The response material of the statistics is reviewed and edited, with great focus on the data quality of large enterprises.

Overall accuracy and reliability

The statistical population is revised yearly, and as a result, the statistics cover nearly 100% of its statistical population.

The coverages of the statistical population can be considered reliable, as they are collected from the database of the Administration for Rural Affairs. The sample size is comprehensive, including approximately 50% of the farms in the register.

Timeliness

Statistics are finalised in mid-November and mid-February, according to the release calendar.

Comparability - over time

Statistics on Food potato storage have been recorded since 2008. Storage volumes are comparable throughout the statistical period.

Coherence - cross domain

The data is coherent with other statistics based on the register of agricultural and horticultural enterprises. 

Source data

Data collection for the statistics is conducted in autumn together with the data collection for crop statistics. A survey for the same population is conducted in January. 

Frequency of data collection

Data collection for the statistics is conducted in autumn together with the data collection for crop statistics. A survey for the same population is conducted in January. 

Data collection

The statistical population used is the population of farms in the database of the Administration for Rural Activities. The sampling frame includes all farms farming food and/or food-industry potatoes with a combined cultivated area for food and food-industry potatoes of 25 hectares or above.

The sampling frame is a stratified sample based on geographic location (ELY-Centre) and area of farmed food and food-industry potatoes (over 5 ha). Data collection is done twice a year online and with phone interviews. The sample size is approximately 50 % of farms. Response rate after the interviews is approximately 94%.

The survey is conducted twice a year (15.10. and 15.1.) with the same population. Data on harvested area, total yield, sales before 15.10., and stock on 15.10. of food and food-industry potatoes is collected from farms selected into October’s sample. Only the stock volumes of food and food-industry potatoes is collected in January.

October’s survey is conducted together with the harvest survey, and a separate survey is conducted in January.

Data validation

If for example an abnormally large observation is spotted during the data compilation process, the authenticity of data is reviewed.

Data compilation

Collected data is estimated using the normal multiplying factor of stratified sampling. Faulty or abnormal data is either revised or removed from the material.