 By contrast, fishing has declined in Orkney since the 19th century and the impact of the oil industry has been much less significant. However, the soil of Orkney is generally very fertile and most of the land is taken up by farms, agriculture being by far the most important sector of the economy and providing employment for a quarter of the workforce. More than 90 % of agricultural land is used for grazing for sheep and cattle, with cereal production utilising about 4 % (4,200 hectares ( 10,000 acres) ), although woodland occupies only 134 hectares (330 acres).
