Agriculture area

    Agricultural land covers 114809.2 thousand hectares or 73.4 percent of the total area. Agricultural land includes 110391.6 thousand hectares or 96.1 percent of pastureland, 1709.1 thousand hectares or 1.5 percent of hayland, 1100.8 thousand hectares or 1.0 percent of cropland, 231.6 thousand hectares or 0.2 percent of fallow land, 116.4 thousand hectares or 0.1 percent of agricultural construction area, and land unsuitable for agricultural use is 1259.7 thousand hectares or 1.1 percent.

Table 1. Agricultural land Transformation /hectares/

       Pastureland: Pastureland was reduced by 37.1 thousand hectares compared to the 2017 report. In the reporting year, the pastureland was transferred to the classification of agricultural construction area, roads, utilities, cities, villages and other settlements, and arboretum of forest lands.

      Hayfields: Hayfields were reduced by 1.1 thousand hectares compared to the 2017 report. In 2018, 10.0 hectares of land in Bayan-Ulgii aimag, 4.2 hectares in Orkhon aimag, 23.7 hectares in Khovd aimag, and 125.2 hectares in Uvs aimag were newly allocated to citizens and businesses for hayfields. However, the hayfields were reduced to 1.1 thousand hectares nationwide because of hayfields of Zavkhan province was transferred to pastureland.

       Cropland: Cropland has increased by 14.0 thousand hectares compared to the 2017 report.

     Compared to 2017, the largest increase was in Arkhangai aimag with 3091.0 ha, Bulgan aimag with 546.8 ha, Dornod aimag with 648.8 ha and Zavkhan aimag with 4064.9 ha. These changes are related to the return of abandoned land to citizens, businesses and organizations for the purpose of replanting cereals, potatoes, vegetables, fruits and crops. The following figure shows the size of cropland since 1990.

Figure 1. Cropland Transformation /hectares/