Agriculture in Estonia

Like the rest of the economy, agriculture in Estonia has been in great flux since the degeneration of the collective and state farm systems.

[1] Reform of Estonia's agricultural system began in December 1989 with adoption of the Law on Private Farming (Estonian: Eesti NSV taluseadus).

[1] The law allowed individuals to take up to fifty hectares of land for private planting and for growing crops.

[1] The goal of the reform was to stimulate production and return the spirit of private farming to a countryside worn down by decades of central planning.

[1] As of the first half of 1993, a total of 8,781 farms had been created, covering approximately 225,000 hectares, or a quarter of Estonia's arable land.

[1] In May 1993, the Estonian parliament passed a law on property taxes, which had been a major concern for many farmers before getting into business.

[1] Over the long term, the government predicted that 40,000 to 60,000 private farms averaging fifty hectares would be optimal.

[1] With 230 ships, including ninety oceangoing vessels, this profitable industry operated widely in international waters.