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Abstract
The main ambition of this paper is to analyse agricultural developments in selected new EU member states with particular emphasis
on government expenditures in agriculture. The main objective is to identify the relationship between government expenditures development
on one side, and agrarian sector performance (the value of production) in selected member states on the other. The conclusions drawn
from this analysis are that the agricultural sector has changed its structure and position within the national economy of selected new EU
member states significantly in the 20 years since the early 1990s. Member states included in the analysis reduced both the size of their
agricultural sector (number of people working in agriculture, total arable areas, number of animals, etc.), and the value of agricultural output.
Despite the significant reduction of the agricultural output, member states became more efficient – and in particular their productivity per
farmer increased significantly. Selected country’s agricultural sector, its structure and production value development are closely related to
government expenditures. Significant correlation is apparent between agricultural government expenditures and the change in the number
of economically active persons in agriculture, development of agricultural production, agricultural area, agricultural GDP and agricultural
capital stock. Regarding the elasticity of new EU member states’ agricultural sector in relation to changes in government expenditures,
significant elasticity is apparent in the case of the number of economically active persons in agriculture, agricultural production (especially
livestock production), area of arable land, agricultural GDP and capital stock.