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Output, Input & Income in Agriculture provides estimates of major items of agricultural accounts. The estimates are based on data from a combination of sources including administrative data, industry sources and surveys conducted by CSO and Teagasc.
The Agricultural Price Indices comprise of the index of producer prices of agricultural products (the Output Price Index) and the index of purchase prices of the means of agricultural production (the Input Price Index). The Output Price Index is based on the sales of agricultural products and the Input Price Index is based on the purchases of the means of agricultural production by agricultural producers.
This chapter also presents estimates of Agricultural Land Prices for both arable land and permanent grassland per acre.
| X-axis label | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goods Output | 7.139 | 7.065 | 8.086 | 8.197 | 7.956 | 8.367 |
| Intermediate Consumption | 4.933 | 5.085 | 5.318 | 6.044 | 5.662 | 5.68 |
| Net Subsidies | 1.327 | 1.601 | 1.65 | 1.697 | 1.73 | 1.741 |
| Operating Surplus | 2.587 | 2.626 | 3.422 | 2.823 | 2.925 | 3.263 |
The value of agricultural goods output at producer prices increased by €411.0m (+5.2%) in 2020, up from €7,955.7m to €8,366.7m. Between them, milk and cattle contributed €290.7m (70.7%) of this growth. The value of milk increased by €144.1m (+5.5%), from €2,608.6m in 2019 to €2,752.7m in 2020 while the value of cattle production rose by €146.6m (+6.8%) to €2,290.5m. Overall, the value of livestock increased by €219.4m (+6.5%) due to a combination of higher volumes (+2.7%) and stronger prices. Improved prices and larger volumes (+6.9%) resulted in pigs contributing an additional €58.9m (+10.8%) to the value of agricultural output. With significantly improved prices and volume growth of 4.9%, the value of sheep production increased from €260.8m in 2019 to €303.3m in 2020, an increase of €42.5m (+16.3%).
Despite the value of cereals falling by €37.7m (-11.5%) to €289.5m in 2020 and potato values declining by €38.0m (-24.3%), the overall value of crops rose by €49.3m (+2.6%) to €1,942.9m. This was mainly attributable to an increase of €97.5m (+9.3%) in the value of forage plants which rose from €1,045.4m to €1,143.0m.
While the value of goods output at producer prices grew by €411.0m, with lower subsidies on products, a reduction in the value of contract work and higher tax on products, the value of agricultural output at basic prices increased by €391.8m (+4.6%), from €8,516.4m to €8,908.3m.
There was only a relatively minor increase in total intermediate consumption costs, which rose by €17.6m (+0.3%) to €5,679.9m. However, when analysed individually, there were some significant changes, with the cost of forage plants growing by €100.3m (+9.6%) to €1,140.2m, maintenance and repair costs rising by €49.3m (+10.1%) to €539.2m, and the cost of feedingstuffs rising by €35.3m (+2.4%) to €1,525.2m. However, these increases were largely offset by some significant reduction in costs, most notably in the cost of energy and lubricants which fell from €439.6m in 2019 to €385.8m in 2020, a reduction of €53.8m (-12.2%). Fertiliser costs contracted by €46.0m (-8.0%) to €532.3m with the cost of other goods and services reducing by €35.1m (-6.3%) to €518.4m.
Link to release: Output, Input and Income in Agriculture
The Regional Accounts for Agriculture provides a regional breakdown of figures already published at State level in the final estimate of the Output, Input and Income in Agriculture. They are prepared using similar methodology and definitions of the accounts items.
The NUTS 3 regional classification is based on the common classification of territorial units for statistics established by the Commission Regulation (EU) No 2066 of 2016 (NUTS - Nomenclature of Territorial Units).
A regional analysis of agricultural income and expenditure for 2020 shows the following:
|
Border |
The Border region experienced the largest growth rate in agricultural output at basic prices (+7.6%). However, it also had the largest increase in intermediate consumption costs, which increased by 5.0% to €821.7m. At 6.8%, the region had the lowest operating surplus growth rate in 2020, which grew to €440.8m. |
|
West |
The value of the West’s agricultural output at basic prices increased by 5.8% to €832.2m. Its intermediate consumption costs fell by 1.7% to €599.5m and its operating surplus grew by 11.5% to €413.2m. |
|
Mid-West |
The Mid-West was the largest producer of cattle in the State, accounting for 19.4% of national output, and the smallest producer of sheep, contributing just 4.2% to the national total. The region’s operating surplus grew by 12.3% to €558.8m. |
|
South-East |
The South-East was the second largest producer of both horses and crops in the State, generating 24.8% and 19.5% respectively of the State’s output. The region’s intermediate consumption costs rose by 1.8% to €868.6m while its operating surplus increased by 12.1% to €513.5m in 2020. |
|
South-West |
The South-West generated 23.8% of Irish agricultural operating surplus, had the highest intermediate consumption costs and was the largest consumer of fertilisers, accounting for 20.7% of national consumption. The region’s operating surplus grew by 9.9% to €775.8m. |
|
Dublin & Mid-East |
The Dublin & Mid-East region was the largest producer of horses and crops in the state. The value of the region’s agricultural output at basic prices fell by 0.9% to €1,136.9m, the only region to experience a drop in 2020. Its intermediate consumption costs fell by 2.7% to €679.2m and its operating surplus grew by 13.9% to €361.9m. |
|
Midland |
The Midland region was the smallest producer of poultry and crops in the State. The value of its agricultural output at basic prices increased by 4.7% to €903.1m. The region’s intermediate consumption costs contracted by 0.8% to €631.2m. With growth of 22.2%, the largest of all regions, its operating surplus rose to €198.8m. |
Link to release: Regional Accounts for Agriculture
| Table 26.3 Agricultural output price index | ||||||
| Base year 2015=100 | ||||||
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
| Cattle | 100.0 | 93.0 | 94.7 | 93.4 | 88.1 | 92.6 |
| Sheep | 100.0 | 99.9 | 99.6 | 105.1 | 99.0 | 109.4 |
| Pigs | 100.0 | 102.6 | 110.4 | 96.5 | 114.3 | 118.2 |
| Poultry | 100.0 | 99.5 | 99.2 | 99.5 | 100.2 | 100.3 |
| Milk | 100.0 | 91.0 | 121.3 | 114.3 | 109.1 | 109.9 |
| Cereals | 100.0 | 101.3 | 101.9 | 123.9 | 133.1 | 111.6 |
| Potatoes | 100.0 | 128.5 | 117.2 | 140.4 | 185.6 | 140.0 |
| Fruit and Vegetables | 100.0 | 101.5 | 100.9 | 106.9 | 108.3 | 105.9 |
| Total outputs | 100.0 | 95.1 | 106.5 | 104.4 | 103.3 | 104.0 |
The agricultural output price index increased by 0.64% in 2020 when compared to 2019, while remaining 4% higher than the base year of 2015.
Cattle and milk prices increased by 5.1% and 0.7% respectively in 2020 compared to 2019. Milk prices were 9.9% higher in 2020 than in the base year of 2015, while cattle prices had dropped 7.4% over the same period.
Link to release: Agriculture Price Indices
| Table 26.4 Agricultural input price index | ||||||
| Base year 2015=100 | ||||||
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
| Feeding stuffs | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.6 | 107.2 | 110.4 | 108.1 |
| Fertilisers | 100.0 | 86.2 | 81.5 | 86.4 | 90.9 | 81.3 |
| Seeds | 100.0 | 98.5 | 98.5 | 98.2 | 106.8 | 102.0 |
| Energy (including electricity) | 100.0 | 91.9 | 97.8 | 106.5 | 106.5 | 98.0 |
| Plant protection products | 100.0 | 102.3 | 103.1 | 103.9 | 103.8 | 104.1 |
| Veterinary expenses | 100.0 | 101.9 | 102.1 | 105.3 | 107.5 | 109.0 |
| Maintenance of materials and buildings | 100.0 | 104.4 | 105.3 | 104.4 | 104.7 | 105.1 |
| Other goods and services | 100.0 | 100.7 | 101.1 | 103.4 | 104.1 | 106.1 |
| Total inputs | 100.0 | 97.9 | 98.2 | 102.7 | 105.0 | 102.2 |
| Source: CSO | ||||||
The agricultural input price index decreased by 2.7% in 2020 when compared to 2019. At 102.2 was 2.2% higher than in base year of 2015.
In particular, fertiliser and energy prices decreased by 10.5% and 8% respectively between 2019 and 2020. Compared to base year of 2015 fertilisers and energy were 18.7% and 2% respectively lower in 2020.
Link to release: Agriculture Price Indices
| Total outputs | Total inputs | |
| 2015 | 100 | 100 |
| 2016 | 95.119 | 97.85 |
| 2017 | 106.458 | 98.219 |
| 2018 | 104.424 | 102.742 |
| 2019 | 103.26 | 105.041 |
| 2020 | 103.1 | 102.2 |
| Table 26.5 Agricultural Land Prices | |||||
| Year | Median Price in Ireland | Mean Price in Ireland | No. of Transactions of Agricultural Land in Ireland | Volume of Transactions of Agricultural Land in Ireland | Value of Transactions of Agricultural Land in Ireland |
| € / ac | € / ac | Acres | €million | ||
| 2015 | 6,647 | 5,965 | 2,656 | 53,861 | 321.264 |
| 2016 | 6,366 | 5,689 | 1,719 | 33,982 | 193.312 |
| 2017 | 6,626 | 4,883 | 1,591 | 32,990 | 161.080 |
| 2018 | 6,444 | 5,631 | 2,095 | 37,436 | 210.784 |
| 2019 | 6,534 | 6,224 | 1,926 | 33,274 | 207,085 |
| Source:CSO | |||||
The median price of land in Ireland in 2019 was €6,534 per acre based on 1,926 transactions. These transactions totalled a value of €207.1 million for 33,274 acres of agricultural land.
Link to publication: Agriculture Land Prices
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