Agriculture and fisheries statistics

​​​​​​​​​Agricultural land

In 2018:

• agricultural land covered 5,895 hectares (32,748 vergées), which is 51% of the Island’s area (64,612 vergées)
  
• agricultural land decreased by 100 hectares (553 vergées) compared with 2017
  
• the area of Jersey Royal potatoes decreased by 86 hectares (478 vergées)
  
• other potatoes (including autumn earlies and maincrop) decreased by 3 hectares (14 vergées)
  
• the total area of outdoor fruit and vegetables saw a 4% decrease, of 114 hectares (633 vergées)
  
• area of organic fruit and vegetable production increased by 39% to 52 hectares (289 vergées)
  

Agricultural statistics report 2018

Total area farmed in hectrares

Source: Department of the Environment, download the chart data

Crop exports

Potatoes are the main crop grown in Jersey in terms of monetary value.

In 2017:

• the value of potatoes exported was £32 million
  
• the total value of potato exports increased by 6% compared with 2016
  
• potato exports increased by 910 tonnes to a total of 30,520 tonnes
  

Value of export arable crops (£ million in 2017 prices)

Source: Department of the Environment, download the chart data

In recent years potatoes have contributed a large majority of the total value of export arable crops, but historically tomatoes and other arable crops have both made up large proportions of the total. The decrease in total value of export arable crops in recent decades was driven by decreases in tomatoes and other non-potato arable crops.

Value of export arable crops, extended time series (£ million in 2017 prices)

Source: Department of the Environment, download the chart data

Dairy industry

In 2018:

• the total number of cattle decreased by 8% to 4,430 animals
  
• the number of cows and heifers in milk decreased by 7% to 2,630 animals
  
• average size of dairy herds decreased by 7% (from 135 to 125 cows per herd)
  
• average milk yield per cow increased by 4%, from 5,219 to 5,419 litres per cow (a rise of 200 litres per cow)
  
• milk production on dairy farms supplying Jersey Dairy was 14.3 million litres, a decrease of around 600,000 litres compared to 2017
  
• gross sales value of milk delivered to Jersey Dairy was £15.5 million, an increase of 11% (£1.6 million)
• the average value of milk product sold was 108.6 pence per litre (ppl)
  

Cattle numbers 2011 to 2018

Source: Agricultural statistics report, Department of the Environment

Milk production and value 2011 to 2018

Source: Agricultural statistics report, Department of the Environment

Livestock

In 2018:

• there were 30,610 livestock in Jersey, a decrease of 4,950 on 2017
  
• the number of sheep decreased by 31% compared to 2017
  
• the number of pigs decreased by 49% compared to 2017
  
• there were 100 goats in Jersey, an increase of 150% compared to 2017
  

Poultry

Egg production from laying hens is the largest poultry activity in Jersey. In 2018 there were 22,440 laying hens, a decrease of 17% on an annual basis.

The number of laying hens increased by more than a third (35%) in 2012. This was driven by a shortage of imported eggs following amended EU regulations for battery hen cages. This market is now filled by local free range eggs.

Number of livestock in Jersey 2011 to 2018

Numbers have been independently rounded to the nearest 10.

Source: Agricultural statistics report, Department of the Environment

Agricultural statistics report 2018

Fisheries

In 2020:

• the total shellfish landed was 884 tonnes, down 48% on 2019 
  
• the yield of wetfish was 115 tonnes, 18% higher than in 2019
  
• the wetfish totals for 2017-2020 were the four lowest for over 20 years
  
• the total shellfish farmed (aquaculture) was 1,057 tonnes, 20% lower than in 2019
  

Total fishing yield in tonnes (shellfish, wetfish and aquaculture) 2010 to 2020

Source: Marine Resources annual status report, Department of the Environment

Quantity of shellfish in tonnes landed by the Jersey fleet 2010 to 2020

Source: Marine Resources annual status report, Department of the Environment

Other species included prawn, velvet crab, cuttlefish, crawfish, squid, praire, amande and ormers.

Quantity of wetfish in tonnes landed by the Jersey fleet 2010 to 2020

Source: Marine Resources annual report, Department of the Environment

Other species included flounder, herring, lemon sole, pouting, sandeel, sand sole, shark, smooth hound, snipe, trigger fish, whiting and wrasse.

Farmed shellfish production (aquaculture) annual yield in tonnes 2010 to 2020

​Source: Marine Resources annual report, Department of the Environment

In 2012 and 2013 the totals include a small quantity of ormers.

Marine resources annual report 2020