                        AGRICULTURAL  RETURNS   ġ CAP.  84.   1
CHAPTER 84 
AGRICULTURAL RETURNS ORDINANCE
To facilitate the preparation of agricultural statistics.
(8th January, 1935) *
Enacted by ORDINANCE I of 1935, as amended by Ordinances: XIX
and XXII of 1935; Act XIX of 1949; Legal Notice 4 of 1963; and Acts:
XXIII of 1966, XXXIII of 1969; XLIX of 1981 and XIII of 1983.
Short title.
Ordinance.
Interpretation. 
Amended by: 
XIX.1949.2; XXIII. 
1966.2; 
XXXIII. 1969.2.
2. In this Ordinance -
"agricultural land" includes any grazing, meadow, pasture,
fallow, or unproductive land, and any vineyard, oliveyard, or
orchard and any fruit or kitchen garden having an area of not less
than one thousand one hundred and twenty-four square metres, and
any glass-house or polythene-house having an area of not less than
seventeen square metres;
"farmhouse" includes any farmyard, cowshed, stable, piggery,
and any sheep, goat or poultry run, and any other place where farm
animals or poultry are usually kept;
"owner" includes the occupier and any person having the
management of any agricultural land or farmhouse, and
"ownership" shall be construed accordingly.
Power to require 
returns. 
Amended by: 
XIX.1935.2;
XXII. 1935.2; 
XIX. 1949.3; 
XIII. 1983.5.
3. (1) The Director of Agriculture may, at any time, by notice
served on the owner of any agricultural land or farmhouse in Malta,
require him to make, within the time, not being less than seven
working days, limited by such notice, a return specifying - 
( a ) the area of the land in cultivation and of the several
crops thereon;
( b ) the area of the land in fallow or used for grazing; 
( c ) the livestock kept on the land or in the farmhouse; 
( d ) the nature of the tenure of the land;
( e ) the rural labour employed; and
( f ) such other particulars concerning the agriculture of
Malta and kindred industries as the Director of
Agriculture may require.
(2) The Director of Agriculture may, at any time, by notice
served on the owner of any dairy, winery, or cannery in Malta,
require him to make, within the time, not being less than fifteen
working days, limited by such notice, a return specifying the raw
materials and labour employed by him, the animal or mechanical
means employed and any other equipment used and all such other
data concerning dairying, wine-making, and canning, and kindred
* See  Proclamation No. I of the 8th of January, 1935.
  2        CAP. 84. ħ                AGRICULTURAL  RETURNS  
industries in Malta as the Director of Agriculture may require.
(3) Such returns shall be made in accordance with the
instructions contained in the notice.
(4) The owner of any agricultural land or farmhouse who, after
having made a return as provided in subsection (1) of this section,
ceases otherwise than by death to be the owner of the agricultural
land or farmhouse to which the return relates, shall, within one
month, report the fact to the Director of Agriculture, and shall give
such information concerning the change of ownership as the
Director of Agriculture may require.
  Where the change of ownership occurs through the death of the
previous owner, then the said report shall be made and the
information shall be given as aforesaid by the new owner.
(5) Any person who fails to comply with the requirement of
subsection (4) of this section shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine
( multa ) of not more than ten liri.
Service of notice. 4. (1) Any notice under this Ordinance may be served on the
owner or on a member of his family either personally or by post.
 (2) In default of evidence to the contrary, a postal letter shall
be presumed to have been delivered on the working day after that
of posting.
Delivery of 
returns. 
Amended by: 
XIX. 1949.4
5. Any return in writing under this Ordinance may be
delivered personally or sent by post free of postage to the person
specified in the notice.
Non-disclosure of 
returns. 
Amended by: 
XXXIII. I969.3.
6. No individual return or part of a return made under this
Ordinance shall be used, published or disclosed without the
authority of the owner, except for the preparation and publication
of agricultural statistics or of a prosecution under this Ordinance:
  Provided that it shall be lawful for the Director of Agriculture
to furnish to the Commissioner of Land any information contained
in a return made under this Ordinance as may be required in order
to establish the ownership or the nature of tenure of any
agricultural land or farmhouse.
Power to make 
regulations. 
Amended by: 
XIX. 1949.5; 
L.N. 4 of 1963.
7. The Minister responsible for agriculture may make, amend
and repeal regulations for carrying out the provisions of this
Ordinance. Without prejudice to the generality of the aforesaid
provision, such regulations may provide for the production to the
Director of Agriculture of such documents as may be specified
therein.
Offences and 
penalties. 
Amended by: 
XLIX.1981.4: 
XIII. 1983.5.
8. If any person - 
( a ) refuses or without lawful excuse neglects to make a
return required to be made under this Ordinance, to the
best of his knowledge and belief; or
( b ) makes or causes to be made a return which is false in
any particular; or
( c ) uses, publishes, or discloses contrary to the provisions
                        AGRICULTURAL  RETURNS   ġ CAP.  84.   3
of this Ordinance any individual return or part of a
return of which he is aware by reason of his office,
he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding two liri or, if the court is
of opinion that the offence was committed wilfully, to a fine not
exceeding twenty liri or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
three months.
