Agriculture in Sweden
Due to different soils and climates, agriculture in Sweden varies by region. Wheat, rapeseed, and other oil plants are common in southern Sweden, whereas barley and oat are more important further north.
Swedish agriculture in figures
The agricultural sector in Sweden employs 177,600 people, or 1.5 percent of the Swedish workforce; there are 72,000 farms and other agricultural businesses, half as many as in 1970; and the average farm has 36 hectares (89 acres) of fields.
History
Agriculture and animal husbandry were practiced in the area (today’s Sweden) as early as the Stone Age. Monasterial gardens disseminated foreign plants suitable for cultivation and agricultural knowledge, and Swedish scientists worked to improve agriculture. Swedish agricultural reforms began after the Finnish War of 1808.
Growth of dairy sector and industrialization (1860–1960)
Dairy production became increasingly important in the Swedish agricultural economy starting in the late 1860s, with milk and dairy-related income being the most important source of income for Swedish agricultural businesses. In the 1950s, a large-scale mechanisation took place, utilizing cheap petrol fuels.
Deregulation and re-regulation (1989–2000)
Sweden deregulated its agricultural policy in 1989, eliminating many subsidies and price controls that had been in place since the 1930s; however, when Sweden joined the European Union in 1995, the Swedish agricultural sector was once again regulated through the Common Agricultural Policy.
References
Svenson: “Agricultural Growth and Institutions: Sweden”. European Review of Economic History 14 (2): 275-304. Swedish Board of Agriculture: “Sveriges jordbruk i siffror” (in Swedish). Archived from the original on June 12, 2011.
When did humans start farming wheat?
When did people start farming wheat? Around 12,000 BC, people started intentionally growing wheat, weeding out all the plants they couldn’t eat, such as pine trees, and planting the ones they could, such as wheat.
Does wheat grow in Scandinavia?
Wheat, rapeseed and other oil plants, and sugar beet are common in southern Sweden, whereas barley and oat are more important further north. Barley and oat are primarily grown for animal feed, particularly for pigs and poultry.
Did Vikings grow crops?
Most Viking farms raised enough crops and animals to feed everyone who lived on the farm, human and animal alike; most Vikings were farmers, a common fact of the medieval era, even if they also traded or fished. While some farms were isolated, many grouped together in small farming villages.
When did grain farming start?
Wild grains have been collected and eaten since at least 105,000 years ago, but domestication did not occur until much later. The eight Neolithic founder crops u2013 emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, hulled barley, peas, lentils, bitter vetch, chickpeas, and flax u2013 were cultivated in the Levant beginning around 9500 BC.
Who was the first farmer?
Adam, the Bible’s first human, is also the first farmer, and God places him in charge of the Garden of Eden after he is created.
Where did humans first start farming?
The Fertile Crescent, a Middle Eastern region that includes modern-day Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Israel, Palestine, southeastern Turkey, and western Iran, was home to the first farmers.
Why was farming difficult in Scandinavia?
In Scandinavia, as well as many other parts of the world, mechanisation, automation, fertilisers, and pesticides enabled intensive farming; the number of farms shrank while the size of the farms grew; rationalised planting, growing, and harvesting resulted in fewer farmers managing much more land.
What is the biggest industry in Sweden?
Motor vehicles, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, industrial machines, precision equipment, chemical goods, home goods and appliances, forestry, iron, and steel are among the main industries in Sweden, which traditionally relied on a modern agricultural economy that employed over half of the domestic workforce.
What crops grow in Scandinavia?
Barley, oats, and forage are primarily grown in the north, while wheat and rye, as well as rapeseed, colza, and other oilseeds, are grown in the plains districts of south and central Sweden. Sugarbeets are only grown in the far south.
Who is the most famous Viking in history?
ten of the most well-known Vikings
- Erik the Red, also known as Erik the Great, is a figure who more than most embodies the Vikings’ bloodlusty reputation.
- Leif Erikson.
- Freyds Eirksdu00f3ttir.
- Ragnar Lothbrok.
- Bjorn Ironside.
- Gunnar Hamundarson.
- Ivar the Boneless.
- Eric Bloodaxe.
What vegetables did the Vikings grow?
Viking farmers grew cabbages, beans, peas, and endive, and Middle Age diners could also get their hands on wild apples and berries. Viking food was flavored with a variety of herbs and seasonings, including coriander, cumin, mustard, and wild horseradish.
What did Vikings drink?
Vikings brewed their own beer, mead, and wine, but mead (often regarded as a royal beverage) was probably saved for special occasions.
Which grain was first used by human?
Early primitive humans domesticated the first cereal grains, which were domesticated by ancient farming communities in the Fertile Crescent region around 8,000 years ago. Emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, and barley were three of the so-called Neolithic founder crops in the development of agriculture.
Where is the best wheat grown?
China is the world’s leading wheat producer, with 134,250 thousand tonnes produced in 2020, accounting for 20.66% of global wheat production, with the top five countries (India, the Russian Federation, the United States of America, and Canada) accounting for 63.46%.