In Montenegro, there are a total of 26,711 agricultural holdings, which is a 31.2% decrease compared to the 38,798 holdings recorded in the 2010 census. Last year, 248,234 hectares of agricultural land were used (including pastures and communal lands), which is a 13.13% increase compared to the 219,167 hectares in 2010. Men are the heads of 87.1% of the holdings.
These are the preliminary results of the agricultural census conducted last year, which were published yesterday by Monstat (the Statistical Office of Montenegro).
The preliminary results of the agricultural census include basic data on the number of holdings, the heads of family agricultural holdings, the land used, livestock and machinery (tractors). These data are subject to change until the final results are published, according to the statisticians.
Statistics:
The highest number of holdings was recorded in Bijelo Polje with 3,933, followed by Nikšić with 3,187, Pljevlja with 2,769, Podgorica with 2,186, and Berane with 2,060. Other municipalities with significant numbers of holdings include Ulcinj (1,351), Rožaje (1,216), Danilovgrad (1,138), Bar (1,135), Mojkovac (999), Zeta (909), Plav (795), Tuzi (739), Petnjica (664), Andrijevica (595), Kolašin (569), Žabljak (426), Plužine (396), Cetinje (306), Šavnik (305), Herceg Novi (286), Kotor (248), Gusinje (239), Budva (156), and Tivat (104).
The total number of cattle on holdings in 2024 was 68,600 (down from 80,134 in 2010), with 167,344 sheep (compared to 228,218 in 2010), 28,184 goats (down from 34,363), 52,272 pigs (up from 42,943), and 1,361,403 poultry (compared to 603,831 in 2010).
Meadows and pastures occupy 107,505 hectares (85%), while arable land covers 8,542 hectares (6.7%), perennial crops 9,434 hectares (7.5%), and other land uses 1,031 hectares (0.8%).
The total number of family agricultural holdings is 31,626, of which 3,443 are led by women. The number of people making daily decisions, or managers, is 26,701, with 3,449 women.
In terms of education, the majority of heads of holdings and managers have completed four-year high school (11,390), followed by those with three-year high school (5,433), and basic school education (5,210). Among the heads of holdings and managers, 335 individuals have no formal education, 1,597 have a higher education diploma, 160 have a master’s degree, and 56 hold a doctorate.
The average age of family agricultural holding heads is 59, which is two years higher than in 2010. The oldest farmers are in Pljevlja, with an average age of 64, while the youngest are in Tuzi and Gusinje, with an average age of 56. The census also showed that only about one in four holdings (7,271) own machinery, specifically tractors. The highest number of tractors is in Bijelo Polje (1,048), followed by Pljevlja (1,297), Rožaje (632), Nikšić (583), Ulcinj (478), Berane (465), Zeta (387), Tuzi (359), Podgorica (335), Petnjica (257), Plav (208), Bar (187), Danilovgrad (182), Žabljak (140), Mojkovac (128), Šavnik (115), and Plužine (100). Less than one hundred tractors are owned by holdings in Kolašin (93), Andrijevica (57), Cetinje (29), Herceg Novi (26), Budva (18), Tivat (6), and Kotor (4). The most common tractors are those with a power of up to 40 kW (6,734 units), while only 213 tractors have a power exceeding 110 kW (more than 138 horsepower), with 108 of them located in Ulcinj.
Census criteria:
The agricultural census was conducted from October 1 to December 1 last year, in accordance with the Law on Agricultural Census and the relevant regulations of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, as well as the standards of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The census covered agricultural holdings that met at least one of the following criteria: 5,000 m² of used agricultural land, 1,000 m² of arable land, 1,000 m² of aromatic, medicinal, and spice herbs, flowers, and ornamental plants, 1,000 m² of fruit, berries, nuts, vineyards, olive groves, nurseries, and other perennial crops, 100 m² of greenhouses, 100 m² of mushrooms, 10 beehives, and one livestock unit.
Beekeeping in Podgorica:
Preliminary data from the agricultural census in 2024 show that Montenegro has a total of 113,794 beehives. Beekeeping is most common in Podgorica, which has recorded 25,088 beehives, followed by Nikšić with 12,971, Bar with 9,266, Bijelo Polje with 7,906, and Pljevlja with 8,466. Other municipalities with notable beekeeping activity include Cetinje (4,960), Rožaje (4,551), Berane (4,310), Danilovgrad (4,003), Plav (3,557), Kotor (3,194), Tuzi (3,055), Herceg Novi (2,620), Budva (2,359), Petnjica (1,908), Plužine (1,803), Šavnik (1,756), Gusinje (1,057), Tivat (1,330). The least number of beehives were recorded in Žabljak and Zeta, with 534 and 720, respectively.
