The Midland region (Laois, Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath), the second smallest agricultural producing region by output value, saw the value of its Agricultural Output increase by 11% (+€129m) and its Entrepreneurial Income rise by 111% (+€159m) in 2024.
The Border region (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, and Sligo) had the largest increase in Milk (+26%) values in 2024. The value of its Agricultural Output at Basic Prices grew 12% (+€168m) and its Entrepreneurial Income increased by 91% (+€251m) to €527m.
The West (Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon), the smallest agricultural producing region by output value, saw its Entrepreneurial Income increase by 32% (+€92m) to €382m, the lowest growth rate of all regions in 2024.
The Mid-West (Clare, Limerick, and Tipperary) was the largest producer of Cattle and the second largest producer of Milk in 2024. Its Entrepreneurial Income grew by 66% (+€184m), with Milk (+€87m) the main contributor to this increase.
In 2024, the South-West (Cork and Kerry), the largest Milk producing region in the country, saw the value of its Agricultural Output at Basic Prices grow by 10% (+€234m) and its Entrepreneurial Income rise by 67% (+€325m).
The Dublin & Mid-East region (Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Meath, and Wicklow) was the State’s largest producer of Crops in 2024. The value of its Agricultural Output increased by 8% (+€117m) and its Entrepreneurial Income was up 88% (+€233m).
The South-East (Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wexford) was the second largest producer of Crops in the State. Its Intermediate Consumption costs were down 8% (-€104m) while its Entrepreneurial Income was up 85% (+€228m).
| Table 1.1: Output, Input and Income in Agriculture by NUTS 3 Regions, 2021-2024 | €m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goods Output | Intermediate Consumption | Net Subsidies | Operating Surplus | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||
| Border | 1,179 | 1,432 | 1,358 | 1,515 | 844 | 1,070 | 1,076 | 1,078 | 282 | 313 | 284 | 371 | 415 | 457 | 341 | 604 | |||
| West | 874 | 1,052 | 1,023 | 1,102 | 662 | 803 | 857 | 878 | 335 | 365 | 336 | 423 | 393 | 461 | 347 | 465 | |||
| Mid-West | 1,630 | 2,100 | 1,827 | 1,948 | 1,063 | 1,335 | 1,392 | 1,338 | 267 | 304 | 249 | 305 | 632 | 860 | 419 | 641 | |||
| South-East | 1,612 | 2,099 | 1,785 | 1,897 | 953 | 1,245 | 1,247 | 1,143 | 202 | 238 | 181 | 213 | 598 | 812 | 391 | 611 | |||
| South-West | 2,055 | 2,719 | 2,242 | 2,464 | 1,192 | 1,638 | 1,634 | 1,574 | 307 | 352 | 286 | 372 | 935 | 1,179 | 636 | 977 | |||
| Dublin & Mid-East | 1,326 | 1,654 | 1,449 | 1,569 | 756 | 957 | 945 | 860 | 168 | 199 | 155 | 188 | 506 | 654 | 365 | 618 | |||
| Midland | 954 | 1,255 | 1,122 | 1,244 | 660 | 855 | 820 | 811 | 159 | 181 | 150 | 177 | 242 | 347 | 214 | 375 | |||
| State | 9,629 | 12,310 | 10,807 | 11,739 | 6,129 | 7,903 | 7,972 | 7,682 | 1,720 | 1,952 | 1,642 | 2,048 | 3,721 | 4,771 | 2,714 | 4,290 | |||
The value of Agricultural Output at Basic Prices grew by 9% (+€1.0bn) to €12.5bn in 2024, with Milk accounting for €575m of this increase. Overall, Livestock values were up 4% (+€186m) with Cattle accounting for €51m, Sheep €43m, and Pigs a further €42m of this increase. Excluding Forage Plants, Sheep experienced the largest price rise (+18%) of all agricultural outputs, although this increase was tempered by a 5% reduction in volumes. Cattle prices were up 5% but a 3% fall in volumes diluted the impact of higher prices on output values. Pig volumes increased by 8% but with prices down 1%, their value increased to €710m. The value of Poultry increased by €20m (+9%) despite slightly lower prices (-1%).
Milk prices were stronger (+17%) in 2024, and with almost no change in volumes, its value grew by €575m (+16%) to €4.1bn. Crops increased by €185m (+7%) to €2.8bn. Forage Plants were up €70m (+4%), but as these are both outputs and inputs, this increase in their output value is negated by a similar rise in costs. Excluding Forage Plants, the value of the remaining Crops grew by €115m (+11%) with Potatoes accounting for €45m, Cereals €37m, and Fresh Vegetables a further €36m of this growth.
Intermediate Consumption costs declined by 4% (-€290m) to €7.7bn. If Forage Plants are excluded, then costs were down by 6% (-€361m). The main contributors to these reductions were Fertilisers (-26%, -€216m) and Feeding Stuffs (-7%, -€148m). The lower expenditure on these two items was driven by a 29% drop in Fertiliser prices and a 13% fall in the price of Feeding Stuffs. The other main cost savings were in Energy & Lubricants (-5%, -€30m), Crop Protection Products (-15%, -€18m) and Maintenance & Repairs (-3%, -€16m). Expenditure on some items of Intermediate Consumption did increase, including Contract Work (+9%, +€57m) and FISIM, an implicit fee paid to financial institutions and incorporated into interest payments, which grew by 15% (+€18m).
The impact of the increase in the value of Agricultural Output at Basic Prices combined with the reduction in Intermediate Consumption costs, higher Fixed Capital Consumption (+2%, +€24m), Compensation of Employees’ costs (+8%, +€84m), and payments for Other Subsidies less Taxes on Production (+24%, +€382m) resulted in the Operating Surplus rising by 58% (+€1.6bn) to €4.3bn. When net interest and land rental costs are accounted for, Entrepreneurial Income grew by 73% (+€1.5bn) to €3.5bn in 2024 (See Table 1.2).
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (03 October 2025) released Regional Accounts for Agriculture 2024.
Commenting on the release, Mairead Griffin, Statistician in the Agricultural Accounts & Production Section, said:
“We reported earlier this year that at a national level there was a significant recovery in agricultural incomes in 2024 after the previous year’s poor results. The value of Agricultural Output at Basic Prices grew by €1bn (+9%) as a result of higher prices and some increases in output volumes. Milk prices, while still significantly lower (-15%) than their 2022 levels, were up 17% on 2023. The other large movers in terms of prices were Sheep (+18%), Potatoes (+8%) and Fresh Vegetables (+9%). Output volumes also saw some considerable movement. Both Poultry and Cereal volumes were up 10%, Pig volumes grew by 8%, while Potato volumes rose by 12%.
Total Intermediate Consumption costs were down 4% (-€290m), with Fertilisers accounting for €216m of this reduction and Feeding Stuffs a further €148m. At the national level, Operating Surplus was up 58% (+€1.6bn) while Entrepreneurial Income, which factors in the cost of land rent and interest payments, increased by 73% (+€1.5bn) in 2024.
Output Values
Milk and Cattle are the two main contributors to the value of Agricultural Output at Basic Prices, accounting for one-third and one-quarter respectively. The Border region (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, and Sligo) saw the largest growth rate (+12%, +€168m) in the value of Agricultural Output at Basic Prices followed by the Midland region (Laois, Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath), which had a corresponding growth rate of 11% (+€129m). Milk accounted for an additional €64m of the Border region’s increased output and €68m of the Midland’s. The South-East (Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wexford), at 7% (+€128m), had the lowest growth rate in agricultural output, despite Milk contributing an additional €103m to the region in 2024. It was also the only region where the value of Crops fell (-2%, -€8m), with Forage Plants down 8% (-€21m) and Other Crops falling by 20% (-€11m).
Intermediate Consumption Costs
The cost of many inputs fell, due mainly to lower prices. The cost of Fertilisers experienced the largest drop (-26%, -€216m) due to prices falling by 29%. The cost of Feeding Stuffs, the largest individual cost to the sector, decreased by 7% (-€148m) as prices dropped by 13%. In relative terms, the Dublin & Mid-East region had the largest reduction in Intermediate Consumption costs (-9%, -€85m) with Fertilisers accounting for €44m of this drop and Feeding Stuffs an additional €13m. It was followed closely by the South-East region, which experienced a fall in Intermediate Consumption costs of 8% (-€104m) due mainly to the lower cost of Fertilisers (-32%, -€51m) and Feeding Stuffs (-7%, -€23m).
Agricultural Income
At 77%, the Border had the largest increase in Operating Surplus, followed closely by the Midlands region at 75% and Dublin & Mid-East at 69%. When Net Interest and Land Rental costs are accounted for (i.e. Entrepreneurial Income), the ranking of these top three regions changes to the Midlands region (+111%), Border (+91%), and Dublin & Mid-East (+88%). The West (Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon) had the lowest rate of increase in both Operating Surplus (+34%) and Entrepreneurial Income (+32%).”