Audrius Gargasas

ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF POLISH AND LITHUANIAN AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS SPECIALIZING IN ANIMAL PRODUCTION

In the present article, an attempt was made to assess the environmental and economic sustainability of Polish and Lithuanian agricultural holdings specializing in animal production. The analysis covers the farms that participated in the FADN in 2006-2012. Assessment accounted for agroecological indicators (share of cereals in crops, stock density) and economic indicators (profitableness of land and labour). Analysis was conducted according to a classification into agricultural holding types: dairy cattle and granivores. In both countries, average stocking density in dairy holdings did not pose a threat to the natural environment. In the case of granivores holdings, such threats were present because standards specified in the code of good agricultural practice were violated significantly. From the perspective of economic equilibrium, holdings from this group achieved a better result than dairy cattle holdings. In Poland during the years 2006–2012, the average income of a family-owned agricultural holding per full-time worker in the family was 56 % greater than in dairy cattle holdings. In the case of Lithuanian holdings, the difference was still greater and amounted to 73 % to the benefit of granivores holdings. Keywords: sustainability, agricultural holdings, animal production. Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2015.130