PUERTO RICO 

CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE

TOTAL FARMS AND FARM LANDS

The 1998 Puerto Rico Agricultural Census estimated total farm at 19,951.Although this represents a decline from the 1992 Agricultural Census, the number of farmers appears to have stabilized since 1978.Total land in farms was estimated at 865,478 cuerdas, and also appears to have stabilized since the 1978 Agricultural Census.


Farm Definition

Previous 

The farm definition changed for the 1978 Census.Definition from 1950 to 1978 was defined as operations with 3 cuerdas or more on which agricultural products other than vegetables for home consumption were produced, or on any livestock or 15 chickens or more or other poultry, were kept on the place.Also, included were places of less than 3 cuerdas, if their gross sales during the census year or expected gross sales during the following year were $100 or more.

Current

In the 1978 the farm definition changed to $500 or more of agricultural products were sold or $100 for agricultural products sold or 10 cuerdas.In the 1992 Census definition was changed and it only included all places from which $500 or more of agriculture products were sold or produced.

FARMS
LAND
YEAR
CURRENT DEFINITION
PREVIOUS DEFINITION
CURRENT DEFINITION
PREVIOUS DEFINITION
1950
-
53,515
-
1,844,886
1959
-
45,792
-
1,682,556
1964
-
44,859
-
1,641,042
1969
-
32,687
-
1,334,800
1974
-
29,650
-
1,259,917
1978
18,992
31,837
979,603
1,084,444
1982
21,820
-
982,457
-
1987
20,245
-
886,846
-
1992
22,350
-
826,893
-
1998
19,951
-
865,478
-

90% Confidence Interval for 1998 Census of Agriculture

Item
Total Number
Relative Standard Error of Estimate (percent)
Lower Confidence Interval
Upper Confidence Interval
Farms
19,951
3.7
18,733
21,169
Land in Farms
865,478
4.2
805,500
925,456
90% Confidence Interval
Farms = (19,951 x .037 x 1.65) ± 19,951 =  Confidence Interval
Land in Farms = (865,478 x .042 x 1.65) ± 865, 478 = Confidence Interval
 

References

Economics and Statistics Administration. (1992, 1987, 1982, 1978,1974, 1969). 

Puerto Rico Census of Agriculture. US Department of Commerce. p 5.

National Agricultural Statistics Service. (1998). Puerto Rico Census of Agriculture. US Department of Agriculture. p 5.