Increase Reported in 2013 Northern Ireland Farm Incomes
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - Provisional figures indicate that the ‘Total Income from Farming’ (TIFF) in Northern Ireland increased by 33.7 per cent (31 per cent in real terms) from £223million in 2012 to £298million in 2013.
4 February 2014
3 minute read
TIFF represents the return on own labour, management input and own capital invested for all those with an entrepreneurial involvement in farming. It represents farm income measured at the sector level.
Total Gross Output for agriculture in Northern Ireland rose by 10 per cent in 2013 to £1.9billion. There was a 12 per cent increase in the value of output of the livestock sector as a whole in 2013. This was due primarily to a 21 per cent increase in the value of dairy output. Dairying remained the largest contributor to total Gross Output. The average farm-gate milk price increased by 21 per cent in 2013 compared with 2012, while the volume of raw milk produced in Northern Ireland remained unchanged.
The output value of cattle increased in 2013 by 6.5 per cent to £440million. This was due to small increases in price and the volume of output. The value of output in the sheep sector decreased by 5.5 per cent in 2013 to £58million. In this case, a reduction in the volume of output more than offset an increase in the average producer price of finished sheep.
There were gains in the values of output in the intensive livestock enterprises, with increases of 14 per cent (to £132million), 6.8 per cent (to £257million) and 2.2 per cent (to £67million) in the pig, poultry and egg sectors, respectively. For the pig and poultry sectors, this was due to increases in both production volumes and prices. The volume of eggs produced increased but this was partially offset by a reduction in egg prices.
The output value for field crops increased in 2013 by 7.9 per cent to £77million. This was mainly as a result of better weather leading to a rise in harvestable potato production, which increased the value of the output of potatoes in 2013 by 27 per cent to £25million. The value of output for wheat decreased by 3.6 per cent (to £11million) and for oats by 1.3 per cent (to £1.9million). The output value of barley for 2013 was broadly comparable with the 2012 level at £25million.
The estimated value of the 2013 Single Farm Payment was £259million, representing a rise of 5.9 per cent compared with 2012. This increase is due mostly to the fact that Voluntary Modulation was not applied in 2013.
Total Gross Input increased by 9.0 per cent in 2013 to £1.5billion. Feedstuff costs, which accounted for 54 per cent of the Gross Input estimate, increased by 11 per cent to £800million in 2013. There was a 5.0 per cent rise in the volume of compound feedstuff purchased and a 7.5 per cent rise in the average price paid per tonne.
In 2013, the total cost of fertiliser (including lime) rose by 22 per cent to £101million as a result of a 24 per cent increase in the volume purchased (which was partially offset by a 1.4 per cent reduction in the average price).
Total machinery expenses increased by 1.1 per cent to £153million in 2013. The increase was due to a 3.5 per cent rise in machinery repair costs, though this was partially offset by a 0.5 per cent reduction in the cost of fuel and oils.
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