Methodology and Quality Update

Methodology and Quality last update 

  05/12/2024 

Statistical Presentation

Data description  

The Environmental-Economic Accounting Publication for Agriculture and Fisheries provides data on asset accounts and quantitative and monetary data for plant, animal, and fish resources in the Kingdom. This data is organized to enable the description and analysis of the relationship between the environment and economic activities related to agriculture and fisheries. The publication is based on data from agricultural surveys conducted by the General Authority for Statistics at the level of administrative regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as national accounts data, income and expenditure survey data, administrative records from the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and other estimated data.
The Environmental-Economic Accounting Publication for Agriculture and Fisheries is conducted to collect data on the main characteristics as follows:
•    Asset Accounts.
•    Physical Supply and Use Account.
•     Monetary Account.
•    Joint Supply.
Data is also used to estimates:
•    Slaughtered livestock.
•    Total consumption.
•    Growth in livestock during the year.
•    Detailed supply and use tables for plant and animal resources.
•    Quantities of Meat Produced from Livestock. 

Classification system

The following classifications are applied in the Environmental-Economic Accounting Publication for Agriculture and Fisheries:
The National Classification for Economic Activities (ISIC4):
It is a statistical classification based on the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC4) used to describe the productive activities of an establishment. 
Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO_08):
A statistical classification based on the International Classification (ISCO_08) that provides a system for the classification and compilation of professional information obtained through censuses, statistical surveys, and administrative records.
This classification is used to categorize employees based on their occupations.
Harmonized System (HS) (H.S.2017):
The merchandise exports and imports statistics are based on classification issued by the World
Customs Organization (WCO), which is a table for describing and classifying merchandise that
includes sub-items and their numeric codes, sections and chapters, in accordance with the
International Convention on Nomenclature for the Classification of Goods in Customs Tariffs,
done at Brussels.
Central Product Classification (CPC 2.1):
It is a classification of products, goods and services issued by the United Nations Statistical Commission. It is intended to be an international standard for organizing and analyzing data on industrial production, national accounts, trade, prices, etc.
Methodology and Quality are collected through interviews, so that outputs can be produces in accordance with all relevant classifications.
The classifications are available on the GASTAT’s website: www.stats.gov.sa

Sector coverage

The Environmental-Economic Accounting Publication for Agriculture and Fisheries covers the agricultural economic sectors.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Terms and Concepts for the Environmental-Economic Accounting Publication for Agriculture and Fisheries:
•    Area:
The land area from which crop production has been harvested.
•    Agricultural production:
A type of production consisting of plant-based products obtained from cultivating agricultural holdings with field crops, vegetables, or fruits. It includes the quantity of agricultural crops produced, such as grains, fodder crops, vegetables, fruits, and dates. It also covers the number of sheep, goats, cattle, and camels, as well as the number of poultry, the quantity of fish, honey, and meat products.
•    Agricultural products:
It is a set of products consisting of crops grown in field areas to be harvested for use as food or in industry, or products derived from livestock, such as animals and birds raised on farms.
•    Agricultural exports:
According to foreign trade statistics standards, it refers to all agricultural goods (crops and livestock) that have been entirely produced or manufactured locally, or that have undergone a processing operation that altered their form and value for export outside the Kingdom.
•    Value of agricultural exports:
The value of exported goods is determined by the value of the agricultural products, including other costs up to delivery on board the shipping vehicle, or it includes the value of the goods along with all expenses up to the export office.
•    Agricultural imports:
According to foreign trade statistics standards, it refers to all agricultural goods (crops and livestock) imported into the country to meet local needs, and which undergo all the required customs procedures for the importation of a given product.
•    Value of agricultural imports:
The value of agricultural imports is defined as the cost of the imported product, plus the cost of shipping, insurance, transportation, and other expenses up to the delivery of the goods at the unloading dock at the port of entry.
•    Livestock:
Livestock has several types, which are as follows:
Lamb: It is a sheep whose body is covered with wool and includes all breeds.
Goats: It is a sheep whose body is covered with hair and includes all breeds.
Camels: It includes all breeds of camels.
Cows: It includes all breeds of cows. 
•    Poultry in holdings:
Includes all types of poultry and birds in specialized and non-specialized holdings.
•    Fisheries:
According to fishing regulations relating to fishing licenses, the marine fisheries has been divided into two sections, namely, industrial and traditional fisheries.
•    Industrial fisheries:
It refers to the fisheries industry, which operates fishing boats that are more than nine metres long and are outfitted with contemporary equipment such as a fish-seeker, electronic navigation devices, communication devices, a winch, and highly efficient fishing facilities.
•    Traditional fisheries:
It refers to the fishing industry, which employs conventional fishing boats ranging in length from 5 to 20 meters and do not use the aforementioned contemporary navigation and technological equipment, with the exception of the usage of a winch and shrimp bottom trawls in the Arabian Gulf.
•    Catch:
The catch is a commodity obtained by fishing and comprises all landings of fish, crabs, prawns, and shellfisheries, as well as any captured animals or plants. The catch that was discarded is not tallied. The catch is calculated using the live weight of the fish in kilos or metric tons. As a result, any catch landing as eviscerated fish, gillless fish, or any other form must be converted into live weight. Catch information is frequently gathered through in-person observation of the number of fish or ship's tackles. The fish weights are calculated by multiplying the observed number of fish, containers, or ship's tackles by the average weight of the fish, container, or ship's tackle as determined by a previous survey of these species.
•    Fishing Labor:
It refers to persons engaged in fishing on a fishing boat without taking into account their nationality. Fishing labor are divided into two types: the Saudi fishing labor and the non-Saudi fishing labor. The fishing labor must be registered as labor with the owner of the fishing boat, whether a fisherman or an investor.
•    Fish farming:
They are farms (projects) dedicated to fish production, containing ponds or small lakes for fish farming within the holding, whether using freshwater or saltwater, and whether the aim of the farming is reproduction or fish production. 
•    Supply and use tables: 
Supply and Use Tables represent a comprehensive framework for resources and uses according to the System of National Accounts. They provide an analysis of products based on data sources in the supply table, whether from domestic production or imports. The use table shows how these resources of products are used as intermediate consumption by economic activities, final consumption by households, government and non-profit bodies, capital formation, and export.
•    Trade Margin: 
Trade margins pertain only to goods and represent the difference between the selling price of goods and the purchase price with the intention of selling these goods in the same condition. In some cases, we find produced goods that were not sold, so they constitute an additional inventory of goods, as well as we find selling goods that are taken from the inventory, and therefore the trade margin is calculated in the following way: Sales - purchases + change in inventory (end inventory - beginning inventory). Gross trade margins are considered the production of trade activity.
•    Transport margins:
 It is the production of the activity of transporting the goods purchased to the place of delivery, when the buyer bears them by adding them to the purchase invoice or placing a separate invoice for them.
•    Intermediate consumption:
Is the value of goods and services that are used as inputs to the production process, except for fixed assets whose consumption is considered depreciation of fixed capital and may convert these goods and services used or consumed entirely in the production process and may return some inputs to appear after they have been transformed and incorporated into the outputs, and there are inputs that may be consumed entirely, such as electricity and similar services.
•    Intermediate consumption contains:
Consumable purchases of raw materials (not all purchases because some of them remain in inventory or intermediate consumption is taken from inventory).
Goods and services produced by the units with the intention of using them for intermediate consumption.
Maintenance within the limits borne by the operating expenses because major maintenance can be considered as fixed capital formation.
The cost of electricity, water, fuel, telephone and internet, office supplies (paper, pens, newspapers, magazines...), transportation costs, rent, advisory and research services (studies, accounting, law, advertising...), assignments and costs of seminars, services banking.
•     Households Final Consumption Expenditure: 
The value of spending by resident households on goods (durable and non-durable) and services excluding the purchase of housing and self-building.
•    Taxes on Products: 
These are taxes due on goods and services upon their delivery, sale, transfer, or other disposition by producers, in addition to import taxes, which become due upon entry of goods into the economic territory and crossing borders, or upon provision of services by non-resident units.
•    Subsidies on Products: 
includes grants payable by the government to the private sector and public sector, and subsidies paid by public authorities to government projects to offset the loss caused by the government's policy of keeping the price at a certain level, and it can also be calculated as the difference between the target price and the actual market price paid by the purchaser. This difference will be covered by the government.

Statistical unit

Not applicable

Statistical population

Not applicable

Reference area

The Environmental-Economic Accounting Publication for Agriculture and Fisheries covers the 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia.

Time coverage

Data are available from 2021-2023.

Base period

Not applicable 

Unit of measure

•    Some indicators are measured in tons (e.g., Agricultural production and quantity of exports, imports, and consumption).
•    and some of them are measured in hectares (e.g., the area).
•    Some indicators are calculated in riyals (e.g., Value of exports and imports).

Reference period

The data for environmental economic accounting for agriculture and fisheries is based on the last day of each calendar year.

Confidentiality 

Confidentiality - policy

According to the Royal Decree No. 23 dated 07-12-1397, data must always be kept confidential and must be used by GASTAT only for statistical purposes.
Therefore, the data are protected in the data servers of the Authority.

Confidentiality - data treatment

Data are displayed in appropriate tables to facilitate its summarization, comprehension, results extraction, comparison with other data and coming up with statistical connotations for the study community. It is also easier to check tables without the need to see the original questionnaire, which usually include data like names and addresses of individuals, names of data providers, which violates the confidentiality of statistical data.

Release policy

Release calendar

Environmental-economic accounting for agriculture and fisheries is included in the statistical calendar.

Release calendar access

Available on the: https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/future-releases

User access

One of GASTAT’s objectives is to better meet its clients' needs, so it immediately provides them with the publication's results once the Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries publication is published.
It also receives questions and inquiries of the clients about the Publication and its results through various communication channels, such as:
•    GASTAT official website:  www.stats.gov.sa
•    GASTAT official e-mail address:  info@stats.gov.sa
•    Client support e-mail: info@stats.gov.sa
•    Official visits to GASTAT’s official head office in Riyadh or one of its branches in Saudi Arabia.
•    Official letters.
•    Statistical telephone: (199009).

Frequency of dissemination

Annual. 

Accessibility and clarity

News release

The announcements of each publication are available on release calendar as mentioned in 7.2. Release calendar access. The news release can be viewed on the website of GASTAT through the following link:
 https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/news

Publications

GASTAT issues the Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries Publication on a regular basis within a pre-prepared dissemination plan and are published on GASTAT’s website. GASTAT is keen to publish its publications in a way that serves all users of different types, including publications in different formats that contain (publication tables, data graphs, indicators, Methodology and Quality Report and questionnaires) in both English and Arabic.
The results of the Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries are available at:

https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/statistics 

On-line database

Not available.

Micro-data access 

Microdata are unit-level datasets derived from surveys, censuses, and administrative records. These datasets provide detailed insights into individuals, households, businesses, and geographic areas, supporting the development of statistical indicators and in-depth research.
The different types of microdata files to meet different information needs:
•    Public use:
It consists sets of records containing information on individual persons, households, or business entities anonymized in such a way that the respondent cannot be identified either directly (by name, address, contact number, identity number etc.) or indirectly (by combining different - especially rare - characteristics of respondents: age, occupation, education etc.).
•    Scientific use:
These files established based on specific methodology asked by data requester to extract the datasets with specific characteristics used for strategic studies and decision making as well scientific research purposes on individuals, households and enterprises with no direct identifiers, which have been subject to control methods to protect confidentiality.
Access to Scientific Use Files (SUF) is restricted to authorized researchers who comply with ethical and confidentiality standards. Representative samples of SUF can be obtained through GASTAT's secure platform, "Etaha," while more sensitive datasets are accessible only through secure physical lab environments managed by GASTAT.

Other

Not available.

Documentation on methodology

Framework for Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries:
Concepts, definitions, issues and classifications are based on international standards in the SEEA Central Framework.
For more details, you can refer to the attachment.  
https://seea.un.org/content/seea-central-framework

Quality documentation

Quality documentation covers documentation on methods and standards for assessing, measuring, and monitoring the quality of statistical process and output. It is based on standard quality criteria such as relevance, accuracy and reliability, timeliness and punctuality, accessibility and clarity, comparability, and coherence.

Quality management

Quality assurance

GASTAT declares that it considers the following principles: impartiality, user orientated, quality of processes and output, effectiveness of statistical processes, reducing the workload for respondents. 
Quality controls and validation of data are actions carried out throughout the process in different stages such as the data input and data collection and other final controls.

Quality assessment

GASTAT performs all statistical activities according to a national model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model – GSBPM). According to the GSBPM, the final phase of statistical activities is overall evaluation using information gathered in each phase or sub-process. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report which outlines all the quality issues related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.

Relevance 

User needs 

Internal users of the Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries data within the General Authority for Statistics.
•    National accounts.
There are a significant number of external users and beneficiaries of the Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries data 2023, including:
•    Government entities.
•    Regional and international organizations.
•    Research institutions.
•    Media.
•    Individuals.

The disseminated key variables used by external users:

User satisfaction

Not available.

Completeness 

The Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries data is based on the Authority’s surveys, administrative records data and open data to provide comprehensive information on the agricultural-economic data in Saudi Arabia and the data in complete status.

Accuracy and reliability 

Overall accuracy

•    Data is checked with previous years to identify any significant changes in the data.
•    The internal consistency of the data is checked before it is finalized.
•    The links between variables are checked and coherence between different data series is confirmed.

Timeliness and punctuality 

Timeliness 

GASTAT uses the Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) issued by the International Monetary Fund. According to this Standard, all statistics agencies are required to publish data on an annual basis, and with a delay of not more than mid of year (180 days) after the end of the reference period. If the data are from different source, they may be published in a different frequency.

Punctuality

The publication takes place according to the published release dates on the statistical calendar for The Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries on the website of the General Authority for Statistics.
The data are available at the expected time, as scheduled in the statistical release calendar, If the publication is delayed, reasons shall be provided.

Coherence and comparability

Comparability - geographical

The data is not geographically comparable because it measures the agricultural economy at the national level.

Comparability - over time 

The data is fully comparable over time.

Coherence- cross domain 

Not applicable. 

Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics 

Not applicable. 

Coherence- National Accounts 

Not applicable. 

Coherence - internal 

The Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries estimates have full internal coherence, as they are all based on the same corpus of microdata, and they are calculated using the same estimation methods.

Data revision

Data revision - policy

Not applicable, only final results will be published.

Data revision - practice

Not applicable, only final results will be published.

Statistical processing

Source data

The Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries data are based on two main sources:
First source: Statistical surveys:
The main published variables from the source of statistical surveys are:
•    The cultivated area of crops by crop type.
•    The quantity of crop production.
•    Total consumption of agricultural products.
Second source: Registry data from government agencies:
•    Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
•    Agricultural Development Fund.
•    Saudi Central Bank.
The main published variables from the registry data source are:
•    Data of slaughtered livestock.
•    Value and quantities of exports and imports of agricultural products.
•    Data on fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture.
•    Agricultural subsidies.
•    Data of fishery.

Frequency of data collection 

Annual.

Data collection

Data collection from the survey:
The data for the Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries is collected through survey data and administrative records, in coordination with the relevant departments of the Authority responsible for implementing the survey and managing data collection. The registry data for the Environmental-Economic Accounting Bulletin for Agriculture and Fisheries is obtained from agricultural survey data conducted by the General Authority for Statistics at the administrative region level across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, national accounts data, income and expenditure survey data, administrative records from the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and other estimated data.
The data is stored in the authority's databases after undergoing auditing and review processes following approved statistical methods and recognized quality standards. If errors or discrepancies are discovered, the data is cross-referenced with the data source for correction or clarification.

Data validation

Data are reviewed and matched to ensure their accuracy and precision in a way that suits their nature with the aim of giving the presented statistics quality and accuracy. 
The data of the current year publication are compared with the data of the previous year to ensure their integrity and consistency in preparation for processing data and extracting and reviewing results.
In addition to the data processing and tabulation to check their accuracy, all the outputs are stored and uploaded to the database after being calculated by GASTAT to be reviewed and processed by specialists in Environment, Agriculture, and Energy Statistics Department through modern technologies and software designed for this purpose.

Data compilation

Data Coding:
In the Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries, the information is internally coded and reviewed by a specialized team using a series of consistency validation checks.
Data editing:
The specialists in the Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture and Fisheries team processed and analyzed the data at this stage. This step was based on the following measures:
•    Sorting and arranging data in groups or different categories in a serial order.
•    Summarizing detailed data into key points or data.
•    Combining many data segments and ensuring their interconnection.
•    Processing incomplete or missing data.
•    Processing illogical data.
•    Converting data into statistically significant data.
•    Arranging, presenting, and interpreting data.
Compensation (for non-response cases or incomplete datasets): 
•    The method of statistical inference is used to compensate for missing values through the application of certain mathematical processes.

Adjustment

Not applicable, only final results will be published.