Survey Structure
5 Rounds per Reference Year
Main information source
The Survey of Agricultural Holdings is the primary information source for agricultural statistics. One round of the survey (reference year) comprises 5 interviews.
The 5-interview scheme
📋 Inception interview
January–February of the reference year. Sampled holdings are identified and the situation as of 1 January is recorded.
📊 Q1, Q2 and Q3 interviews
Beginning of the month following each quarter. Quarterly questionnaire — agricultural activities during the corresponding quarter.
✅ Final interview
January of the following year. Q4 data + summary information for the entire reference year (1 January to 31 December).
Sample Design & Coverage
Sampling Frame, Size & Rotation
Sample frame
The Agricultural Census 2014 is the primary source of the sample frame.
Sample parameters
Sample size
Approximately 12,000 holdings selected from ~642,000 agricultural holdings in Georgia
Sampling method
Two-stage stratified cluster random sampling — stage 1: clusters (settlements); stage 2: holdings within clusters
Rotational design
~4,000 holdings replaced annually. Each holding participates for 3 years. Large holdings: full coverage every year.
Geographic coverage
The survey covers the entire territory of Georgia, excluding the occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region.
Statistical Unit — Agricultural Holding
Definition of the Survey Unit
Agricultural holding
An independent economic unit of agricultural production under single management, comprising all livestock kept and all land used wholly or partly for agricultural purposes — regardless of title, legal form or size. Agricultural activities are conducted under the supervision of a holder who is responsible for all management decisions and bears all associated economic risks and costs.
Family holding
Holder = a member of the household, responsible for farm decisions and bearing all economic risks
Agricultural enterprise
Holder = director or authorised person of the enterprise, who also benefits from the results of farming activities
Fieldwork & Data Processing
Data Collection, Cleaning & Special Surveys
Data collection methods
Family holdings — CAPI
More than 270 interviewers. Computer-assisted face-to-face interviews using tablets.
Agricultural enterprises — CAWI
Authorised representatives self-complete electronic (online) questionnaires independently.
Coordinators oversee interviewer activities, carry out primary data control in the field, and provide methodological and technical advice to agricultural enterprises across several municipalities.
Data cleaning & harmonisation
After fieldwork, all data are cleaned and harmonised at the Geostat central office:
- Logical and arithmetical inconsistencies are detected, verified and corrected
- Non-typical and suspicious values are flagged and cross-checked against other interviews
- Verification is performed by contacting respondents by phone
- Where verification is not possible, corrections are made using statistical imputation methods
Special surveys
Sheep, goats & melons
Data obtained by annual survey of municipal representatives in administrative units
Tea leaf production
Data obtained by annual survey of crude tea leaf processing enterprises
Average Indicators
Calculation of Key Agricultural Averages
Calculation basis
Indicators are calculated using weighted data. Results are compared with corresponding figures from previous periods; significant deviations trigger cause identification and analysis.
Average indicator formulas
🌾 Average yield
Total production from pure sown area during the reference year ÷ respective harvested area
🐄 Average yield of dairy cows
Annual milk production ÷ average number of dairy cows during the year
🐑 Average litter
Number of animals born during the reference year ÷ average number of female animals during the year
Publication levels
Preliminary data
Published at the national level
Final data
Published at the regional level. Regions with insufficient sample are aggregated as "remaining regions"
Publication Calendar
Statistical Release Schedule
Release schedule
Agricultural statistics are published on the official Geostat website according to the following calendar:
| Date | Publication |
|---|---|
| 16 February | Preliminary data — livestock indicators for Q4 of the previous year (annual and Q4) |
| 2 March | Express data — sown area of winter crops of the previous year |
| 13 April | Preliminary data — crop indicators of the previous year (sown area, harvested area, production, yield of annual crops; production of permanent crops) |
| 17 May | Preliminary data — livestock indicators for Q1 of the current year |
| 15 June | Final data — agricultural indicators of the previous year; statistical publication "Agriculture of Georgia" |
| 16 August | Preliminary data — livestock indicators for Q2 of the current year |
| 1 September | Express data — sown area of spring crops of the current year |
| 16 November | Preliminary data — livestock indicators for Q3 of the current year |
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Note: Detailed methodology is available at: FAO Open Knowledge