Changes of labour productivity on farms in Central and Eastern Europe countries after European Union accession

The accession of Central-Eastern European countries in 2004 and 2007 has placed the agriculture of these countries in the context of new economic policy and market competition. Former research has led to the conclusion that the majority of agricultural producers in the countries of the region are at a significant disadvantage in regards to productivity compared to the farmers of the countries integrated into the EU earlier. The research has examined what – if any – changes have been made during the elapsed period and whether there is any convergence in regard to country groups and different farm size units to the level of farming productivity in field crop farms of more developed countries. The research was based on EU FADN data which provide d data until 2009. Figures of five full fiscal years are enough to reveal some tendencies. The research has evaluated the characteristics of changes ( with longitudinal analysis) by utilizing the indices of partial efficiency. By using the status attainment theory, an attempt was made to find an explanatory context between the components with income generating capacity for farms and labour productivity. The main conclusion of the research is that the convergence of countries a nd the varying economic size of farms were different iated and productivity substantially affected the added value of produc tion potential