Land-Use Evolution and Trends in Portugal: An Approach Based on the Standard Output

Since Portugal acceded to the European Union, the measures introduced under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) have significantly influenced farmers’ behavior and their choices of agricultural activities, with different consequences on agricultural sustainability. This paper analyses changes in crop-based income following the CAP evolution in Portuguese agriculture from 1989 until 2023 and their consequences on agricultural sustainability. The analysis is based on the Standard Output (SO) for temporary and permanent crops. These data were sourced from the Agricultural Census, conducted every ten years, and the Farm Structure Surveys were held every three years. To examine the evolution of land use and establish relationships between variables, the study employed HJ-Biplot methodology and cluster analysis. Then, a comparative analysis with agricultural sustainability trends, using several social and environmental indicators, was carried out. Regarding temporary crops, the results reveal a decline in the total SO weight of cereals for grain, alongside an increase in vegetables and floriculture. For permanent crops, a decrease was observed in fresh fruits and citrus fruits, while nuts and subtropical fruits showed notable growth. Also, the positive evolution of several SOs was accompanied by improvements in agricultural sustainability on environmental and social indicators.