The role and the position of agriculture in the national economy in Slovakia and in the EU

Conducted analysis point out that agriculture together with the food industry belong to the most important industries of the national economy as well as to the largest industries offering working opportunities in Slovakia. These facts point out the importance of agriculture in the national economy. The share of agriculture on the GDP in the time range 2000-2006 has been continually increasing (except for 2003). In 2005, despite the high increase in other industries, this share has increased moderately up to 4,44 % and in 2006 up to 4,21 %. During the analyzed years the employment decrease in agriculture was persisting. With this decrease, the work productivity in agriculture was rising significantly (by 19,9 %) in comparison with the average of the Slovak economy (by 2,6 %). Agriculture has a significant share on creation of the rural economy, which is being created outside the huge cities and keeps forming the primary economy which produces the material goods consistently connected with industry and business.