Data for Slovenia:

Objectives summarized by:the Resolution on National Environmental Action Plan 2005-2012(ReNEAP, OG RS, No 2/06), the Rules concerning good agricultural practice in manuring (OG RS No 130/04) and the Decree concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (OG RS No 113/09).
Source database or source: The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, SI-STAT data portal (Environment and natural resources> Agriculture and fishing > Consumption of Fertilisers, Pesticides, Water, Energy > Fertilisers > Agricultural consumption of mineral fertilisers).
Data administrator: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (Enisa Lojović-Hadžihasanović)
Data acquisition date for this indicator: 30 October 2009
Methodology and frequency of data collection for the indicator:
Data on mineral fertilizers and plant nutrients used by enterprises, companies and cooperatives in the growing season, as well as data on stocks of fertilizers held by producers on 31 December of the current year are obtained by the Statistical Office once a year through questionnaires filled in by all enterprises engaged in crop production. Data on imports (sales) of mineral fertilizers for crop production and plant nutrient content in some mineral fertilizers are collected directly from import companies through annual questionnaires. Mineral fertilizers are classified according to the Nomenclature of Industrial Products, and the unit of measure is "kg of active substance" (kg of plant nutrient), or kg of mineral fertiliser.
Data processing methodology:Data on the consumption of mineral fertilizers and plant nutrients are calculated on the amount of used mineral fertilizers and plant nutrients (N, P₂O₅, K₂O) per hectare of utilised agricultural area. Data are processed per each year (1992-2008), and the average values are also calculated. Changes in the consumption of mineral fertilisers are expressed as a percentage of the base year 1992.
Information concerning data quality:
- Indicator advantages and disadvantages: Data on the consumption of mineral fertilisers are not collected regularly in Slovenia, since the Statistical Office RS collects them once in a year through surveys. As upon the entry of Slovenia into the EU in 2004, the circulation and the sale of mineral fertilisers marked GNOJILO ES (EC FERTILISER) within EU Member States are open, Slovenia can not hold accurate records of imports and exports of mineral fertilizers. Due to the above stated, data on the consumption of mineral fertilisers in Slovenia are to some extent unreliable, although we believe that they reflect well the reality in the field.
- Relevance, accuracy, robustness, uncertainty:
Reliability of the indicator (archival data): Data on the consumption of mineral fertilisers are collected according to the prescribed methodology. Upon any modification of methodology, data were accordingly recalculated for the past, so we believe that the data series in the time scale are sufficiently comparable.
Uncertainty of the indicator (scenarios/projections): Data on the consumption of mineral fertilisers in the years 1992-2008 can be explained quite reliably with the general situation in the field of fertilisers consumption in Slovenia, and especially with the general situation of agriculture in Slovenia (more and more difficult economy of agriculture, steadily reduced scope of agricultural production ...). We can therefore make a fairly probable forecast that the trend of reducing mineral fertilisers in Slovenia is going to continue in the next few years.
- Overall assessment (1 = no major comments, 3 = data to be considered with reservation):
Relevance: 2
Accuracy: 2
Completeness over time: 1
Completeness over space: 2

Data for other countries:

Source database or source: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAOSTAT > Resources > ResourceSTAT > Fertilizers).
Data administrator: Food and Agriculture Organization
Data acquisition date for this indicator: 30 October 2009
Methodology and frequency of data collection for the indicator:
FAO collects data on the consumption of mineral fertilisers on an annual basis and publishes them on its website. The indicator presents data for the period 2002-2007. Data are available for all EU Member States with the exception of Belgium.
Data processing methodology:
Data on the consumption of plant nutrients (N, P₂O₅, K₂O), expressed in kilogram of individual nutrient per hectare of utilised agricultural area, are calculated on the basis of the quantity of plant nutrients used on the surface of utilised agricultural area by each Member State (EU 27). Within Member States, data from the old Member States (EU-15) were compared with data from the new Member States (EU 16-27) joining the EU after 2004. Data for particular Member States are presented in the form of tables by each particular year, and in the form of diagrams as the average in the period 2002-2007.
Information concerning data quality:
- Indicator advantages and disadvantages: Since data on the consumption of plant nutrients by some Member States show unusually large oscillations within particular years, and since the methodology of data collection among Member States is not clearly defined, these data are less reliable in terms of comparison between Member States.
- Relevance, accuracy, robustness, uncertainty:
Reliability of the indicator (archival data): data comparison between EU members is less reliable due to the above stated reasons.
Uncertainty of the indicator (scenarios/projections): It is difficult to forecast the future trend of the indicator due to huge diversity of data among Member States; in addition, the analysed period of 6 years (2002-2007) is too short.
- Overall assessment (1 = no major comments, 3 = data to be considered with reservation):
Relevance: 3
Accuracy: 3
Completeness over time: 3
Completeness over space: 2