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78 ANALYSIS AND PROSPECTIVE STUDIES CULTIVAR Issue 22 APRIL 2021 and 2019) and Entre Douro e Minho (EDM) and the Algarve, 26% falls (with increases in the last decade). On the other hand, in the same period, the Alentejo showed an increase of 16.4%, i.e. 302,000 ha more of Utilised Agricultural Area. These different developments are explained on the one hand by the equally different agrarian struc- tures, namely farm size and soil characteristics that affect their use, and on the other hand by the differ- ent territorial environment of each region. ii) Agrarian structures The 1% drop in UAA over 30 years demonstrates the resilience of this variable, especially when compared with the other structural variables. In 2019, the number of farm holdings was only 48% of the same number in 1989. The volume of work, measured in Annual Work Units (AWU) fell to 36% (64% less than in 1989) and the irrigable area to 72% of 1989. However, in the last 10 years there has been a reversal of the latter downward trend. This structural adjustment is linked to the land own- ership structure of farm holdings. The significant dis- appearance of holdings, which essentially occurs in small farms, has dragged down the other variables. Figure 9 shows these uneven changes according to farm size: there is a significant decrease in the number of small farms (a drop of 57%) and medi- um-sized farms (-34%), while larger farms registered a 34% increase. Figure 8 − General trends of the main structural characteristics of farm holdings (Index 100=1989) Source : 1989AC, 1999AC, 2009AC and 2019AC and intermediate Farm Structure Surveys (FSS) UAA, 99 FARMS, 48 AWU, 36 IRR UAA, 72 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 IND100 = 1989 UAA FARMS AWU IRR UAA Source : 1989AC, 1999AC, 2009AC and 2019AC and intermediate FSS Figure 9 − Number of farms in mainland Portugal by UAA class (Index 100=1989) < 5 ha, 43 5 to 50 ha, 66 >=50 ha, 134 Mainland, 48 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 IND100 = 1989 ANOS < 5 ha 5 to 50 ha >=50 ha Mainland