You are here: Home / Statistics / Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2021: Part 3 Travel, Agriculture, Environment and COVID-19 / Appendix 1 - Northern Ireland / Northern Ireland Agriculture

Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2021: Part 3 Travel, Agriculture, Environment and COVID-19

Northern Ireland Agriculture

1,069

Increase in the number of farms in Northern Ireland from 2019 - 2020

Number of farms in Northern Ireland, June 2009 - 2020

Table NI40.1 Number of farms in Northern Ireland, June 2009 - 2020
	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Northern Ireland Total	25,264	24,471	24,436	24,285	24,503	24,228	24,907	24,528	24,956	24,895	24,827	25,896
Source: Agricultural Census, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2021 Table NI40.1 (XLS 10KB)

Crop areas in Northern Ireland, 2009-2020

Table NI40.2 Crop areas in Northern Ireland, 2009-2020
('000 hectares)
	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Grass
Under 5 yrs old	120.8	118.4	129.7	133.9	139.2	146.2	149.9	148.2	144.4	144.5	148.8	141.4
Over 5 yrs old	669.9	661.6	647.4	646.0	648.8	641.8	650.4	652.6	660.6	663.2	659.9	674.8

Total grass	790.7	780.0	777.1	779.8	788.0	788.0	800.3	800.8	805.0	807.6	808.7	816.3

Hill or rough land	141.9	140.5	140.9	138.8	140.1	140.1	131.1	137.2	140.4	143.2	143.6	140.6

Cereals
Oats	2.1	2.3	2.1	1.9	2.0	2.1	2.1	2.3	2.3	2.0	1.9	1.9
Wheat	10.1	10.9	11.6	9.4	8.0	8.5	8.0	8.6	8.7	6.8	8.1	7.1
Barley (winter)	5.1	6.8	6.8	5.3	5.3	6.7	7.0	7.6	7.1	5.8	7.7	7.8
Barley (spring)	21.6	17.6	17.2	20.2	20.5	16.8	15.7	14.7	14.0	14.9	11.9	12.6
Mixed corn	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.1

Total cereals	39.2	37.8	37.9	37.1	35.9	34.2	32.9	33.4	32.3	29.7	29.8	29.5

Other field crops
Potatoes	5.1	4.9	4.8	4.2	4.3	4.2	3.6	3.7	4.1	3.6	3.8	3.7
Arable crop silage	3.5	3.9	3.3	3.7	4.1	4.0	3.3	3.3	3.6	4.3	3.9	4.2
Forage maize	3.3	2.9	2.5	1.9	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.3	1.3	1.6	1.6	1.9
SRC Willow	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.5
Other crops ¹	3.1	2.7	2.4	2.7	2.1	2.2	2.4	2.1	2.3	2.4	2.4	3.1

Total other field crops	15.5	14.9	13.5	13.0	12.6	12.5	11.3	11.0	12.0	12.5	12.3	13.4

Horticultural crops
Fruit	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.3
Vegetables	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.4	1.3	1.4	1.2	1.3	1.1	1.2	1.2
Ornamentals	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2

Total horticultural crops	3.0	2.9	3.0	2.9	3.0	3.0	3.1	2.9	3.0	2.8	2.8	2.7

Total crops	57.7	55.6	54.4	53.0	51.6	49.8	47.3	47.4	47.2	44.9	44.9	45.6

Total crops & grass	848.4	835.5	831.5	832.8	839.6	837.8	847.7	848.2	852.2	852.6	853.6	861.8

Other land
Set-aside	0.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Woods and plantations	10.3	10.2	10.8	11.0	10.3	11.1	11.1	16.1	15.8	16.3	15.7	17.3
Other land ²	6.9	7.8	8.2	8.3	8.0	7.8	7.9	11.8	11.4	10.4	10.2	10.1
Total other land	17.6	18.0	19.0	19.3	18.3	18.9	18.9	27.9	27.2	26.7	25.9	27.4

Total area farmed	1,008.0	994.0	991.4	991.0	998.0	996.8	997.7	1,013.2	1,019.7	1,022.4	1,023.2	1,029.8
Source: Agricultural Census, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland
1. Other Crops - Oilseed rape, Turnip/beet, Kale/Cabbage, other stockfeed crops, Triticale, Linseed, Flax, other glasshouse crops, Hemp and WBC.
2. Other land - Mushrooms, fallow land, roads, buildings, bogs, wasteland, gardens etc.

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2021 Table NI40.2 (XLS 15KB)

4,000

Increase in total sheep numbers from 2019 to 2020

Livestock numbers, June 2009 - 2020

Table NI40.3 Livestock numbers, June 2009 - 2020
thousand head
	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Cattle¹
Dairy cows	284.7	281.0	282.5	285.4	279.5	294.2	311.5	317.1	315.8	310.7	313.5	313.3
Dairy heifers in calf	62.5	61.9	62.3	65.4	67.1	62.1	60.8	58.8	60.1	59.0	60.3	- 0

Beef cows	256.8	257.6	269.5	279.2	270.1	254.9	260.3	269.7	267.1	255.9	247.0	244.7
Beef heifers in calf	37.6	38.4	42.1	40.9	37.4	31.9	31.7	31.1	30.4	29.7	29.1	- 0

Total cows	541.5	538.7	552.0	564.6	549.6	549.1	571.8	586.9	582.9	566.6	560.5	558.0

Total heifers in calf	100.1	100.3	104.4	106.3	104.5	93.9	92.5	90.0	90.5	88.7	89.4	- 0

Bulls for service	18.6	18.4	18.7	19.0	18.8	18.1	17.7	17.4	17.2	16.9	16.5	20.0

Other cattle²
Over 2 years	132.0	133.6	123.7	117.2	113.3	132.6	121.1	101.7	106.2	117.7	122.7	151.7
1-2 years	348.6	354.2	338.7	334.5	345.2	331.8	328.3	358.1	378.7	364.4	353.5	394.9
Under 1 year	458.4	459.1	452.9	483.9	456.3	441.8	477.4	510.5	491.0	474.8	469.1	486.8

Total cattle	1,599.0	1,604.4	1,590.5	1,625.4	1,587.8	1,567.3	1,608.9	1,664.6	1,666.4	1,629.1	1,611.8	1,611.5

Sheep
Breeding ewes	892.4	875.9	895.2	937.5	921.4	910.6	938.6	955.2	973.3	956.5	938.5	946.1
Other sheep	1,004.3	971.8	992.4	1,031.4	982.1	1,012.3	1,051.0	1,067.8	1,079.2	1,049.5	1,048.5	1,044.9

Total sheep	1,896.7	1,847.7	1,887.6	1,968.9	1,903.5	1,922.9	1,989.7	2,023.0	2,052.6	2,006.0	1,986.9	1,990.9

Pigs³
Sows and gilts	38.2	38.5	38.0	38.3	42.5	42.8	45.6	46.4	47.9	49.6	47.5	45.9
Other pigs	395.4	386.1	387.2	388.6	437.8	474.2	524.1	554.7	601.2	584.0	626.9	635.6

Total pigs	433.5	424.6	425.3	426.9	480.3	517.1	569.7	601.1	649.1	633.6	674.4	681.5

Poultry⁴
Laying birds	2,315.7	2,099.4	2,429.7	2,556.7	2,438.4	3,044.6	3,174.1	3,550.0	3,962.8	4,331.9	4,998.7	4,936.6
Growing pullets	999.1	1,017.3	1,109.2	1,089.2	909.3	916.3	908.0	961.9	1,202.0	1,121.3	1,481.2	1,495.7
Breeding flock	1,573.2	1,078.2	1,528.0	1,641.1	2,150.6	2,413.7	2,404.9	2,282.7	2,526.9	2,515.9	2,558.7	2,214.3
Table chickens	11,418.3	11,915.1	14,069.4	13,459.4	13,412.0	13,614.2	14,273.1	14,459.2	16,766.6	17,663.0	15,351.6	15,364.5

Total ordinary fowl	16,306.3	16,109.9	19,136.3	18,746.4	18,910.4	19,988.8	20,760.1	21,253.8	24,458.3	25,632.1	24,390.2	24,011.2

Other poultry	556.4	421.2	486.2	441.7	463.5	412.4	485.6	530.0	452.3	398.5	390.2	341.0

Total poultry	16,862.7	16,531.1	19,622.5	19,188.2	19,373.8	20,401.1	21,245.7	21,783.8	24,910.6	26,030.6	24,780.4	24,352.2

Horses & Ponies⁵	12.2	12.5	12.0	12.0	11.7	11.1	11.0	10.3	9.6	9.0	8.7	7.0

Goats	2.7	2.9	3.1	3.1	3.2	3.2	3.8	3.8	4.2	3.8	3.4	3.0
Source: Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2016, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland
¹From 2005 onwards, cattle figures sourced from APHIS
²From 2020 onwards, numbers of heifers are included with ‘Other Cattle’ and are no longer available as a separate figure
³From 2013 onwards, pig figures sourced from the Northern Ireland Annual Inventory of Pigs and the Farm Census
⁴From 2007 onwards, poultry figures sourced from the Northern Ireland Bird Register Update and the Farm Census
⁵Horses and ponies on agricultural holdings.

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2021 Table NI40.3 (XLS 16KB)

Average producer prices of agricultural products 2015 - 2020

Table NI40.4 Average producer prices¹ of agricultural products 2015 - 2020
£ per unit
	Unit	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
(provisional)
Finished steers, heifers and young bulls	head	1,106	1,082	1,162	1,174	1,119	1,196
Finished steers, heifers and young bulls	kg dwt	3.26	3.19	3.48	3.49	3.26	3.46
Calves slaughtered or exported	head	308	305	303	310	334	449
Culled cows and bulls	head	666	670	747	768	708	779
Culled cows and bulls	kg dwt	2.14	2.16	2.47	2.51	2.25	2.43
Store cattle exported	head	795	749	801	806	782	815
Finished sheep and lambs	head	73.94	83.00	86.12	92.09	85.71	96.96
Finished sheep and lambs	kg dwt	3.41	3.88	3.99	4.26	3.86	4.46
Finished clean pigs	head	102.41	102.27	134.79	129.76	134.12	151.27
Finished clean pigs	kg dwt	1.19	1.18	1.52	1.42	1.46	1.58
Milk²	litre	0.212	0.206	0.291	0.290	0.275	0.272
Eggs for consumption	dozen	0.751	0.751	0.730	0.694	0.695	0.740
Broilers	kg lwt	0.856	0.867	0.900	0.925	0.922	0.876
Potatoes:
Ware maincrop³	tonne	129	153	147	170	175	162
Seed	tonne	153	171	173	166	195	180
Barley	tonne	130	134	154	186	163	168
Wheat	tonne	136	137	161	182	174	191
Oats	tonne	153	149	158	190	183	181
Mushrooms	tonne	1,496	1,460	1,530	1,570	1,590	1,610
Apples	tonne	271	258	263	203	199	230
Source: Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2018, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland
¹Before deduction of marketing charges, commissions and levies, where applicable.
²Before deduction of superlevy, if applicable.
³Does not include early potatoes.

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2021 Table NI40.4 (XLS 13KB)

Indices of producer prices of agricultural output 2015 - 2020

Table NI40.5 Indices of producer prices¹ of agricultural output 2015 - 2020
Indices: 2015 = 100
	Weights²	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
(provisional)
Finished steers and heifers	206	100	98	107	107	100	106
Culled cows and bulls	41	100	101	116	118	105	114
Store cattle exported	6	100	94	101	101	98	103
Finished sheep and lambs	36	100	114	117	125	113	131
Finished clean pigs	74	100	100	128	120	123	133
Milk	298	100	97	137	137	130	129
Eggs for consumption	55	100	100	97	92	92	98
Broilers	135	100	101	105	108	108	102
Potatoes:
Ware maincrop	12	100	119	114	132	136	126
Seed	1	100	112	113	109	128	118
Barley	12	100	102	118	142	125	129
Wheat	6	100	101	118	134	128	140
Mushrooms	42	100	98	102	105	106	108
Apples	7	100	95	97	75	73	85

Total products index²	931	100	99	118	119	114	116
Inputs index³	1,000	100	97	95	104	104	103
Source: Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2018, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland
¹The indices relate to prices from which marketing expenses have not been deducted.
²The total products index is calculated by taking into account the significance of each item in the base period (2015). This is shown in the column of weights. Since only the main items of output are included, the total of their weights does not add to 1,000. Also, since the price index does not cover items such as production grants, compensation payments and gross fixed capital formation, it should not be regarded as a 'deflator' to be used in estimating the volume of output.
³This index does not cover all inputs. It comprises feedstuffs, seeds, fertilisers and lime and marketing expenses.

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2021 Table NI40.5 (XLS 13KB)

Aggregate Agricultural Account: estimated output, input, value added and income of agriculture

Open in Excel:

Table NI40.6 Aggregate Agricultural Account: estimated output, input, value added and income of agriculture 2015 - 2020

Table NI40.6 Aggregate Agricultural Account: estimated output, input, value added and income of agriculture¹ 2015 - 2020
£ million
		2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
(provisional)
	Output²
	Livestock and livestock products³
	Finished cattle and calves⁴	402.3	432.9	464.4	459.5	431.0	437.7
	Finished sheep and lambs⁴	63.3	75.0	73.1	80.3	65.7	83.6
	Finished pigs	114.3	122.7	168.4	158.2	180.6	216.9
	Poultry⁵	274.8	294.6	310.5	330.8	308.0	298.5
	Eggs⁶	88.6	94.8	104.0	108.6	115.1	128.1
	Milk	480.1	453.3	664.1	681.6	656.8	666.9
	Minor products⁷	15.3	14.3	13.9	13.6	12.7	10.9
	Total livestock and livestock products	1,438.8	1,487.7	1,798.4	1,832.7	1,769.8	1,842.7

	Field crops
	Potatoes	17.2	20.3	23.0	21.0	23.3	20.9
	Cereals	28.9	26.7	30.4	32.4	33.3	31.1
	of which: barley	18.3	16.7	17.6	21.8	20.7	20.5
	wheat	8.7	8.2	10.8	8.7	10.6	8.8
	oats	1.9	1.8	2.0	1.9	2.0	1.8
	Other crops⁸	12.4	10.5	11.4	13.0	14.1	10.2
	Total field crops	58.4	57.5	64.8	66.3	70.7	62.2

	Horticultural products
	Fruit	11.7	14.4	16.5	14.0	8.4	12.5
	Vegetables	21.5	19.1	18.3	17.4	17.1	18.3
	Mushrooms	67.5	52.2	54.3	53.6	54.6	46.0
	Ornamental and hardy nursery stock	18.9	20.9	25.3	24.8	20.8	18.5
	Total horticultural products	119.5	106.6	114.4	109.8	101.0	95.4

	Capital formation (breeding livestock)	74.4	90.0	82.7	76.8	89.9	119.1

	Agricultural contract work⁹	73.7	74.5	79.8	93.0	91.4	93.3

	Milk quota leasing	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

	Inseparable non-agricultural activities¹⁰	17.4	13.4	13.5	13.9	13.8	13.9

A	Gross output	1,782.2	1,829.6	2,153.6	2,192.5	2,136.7	2,226.5

	Input (also known as 'intermediate consumption')
	Expenditure
	Feedstuffs¹¹	728.6	697.0	744.1	847.1	829.6	836.6
	Seeds¹²	10.6	10.1	11.0	10.7	10.5	10.6
	Marketing expenses¹³	36.5	38.3	38.2	37.7	37.1	38.2
	Fertilisers and lime	74.0	70.7	84.2	84.5	85.7	83.2
	Total machinery expenses (excl. depreciation)	139.2	135.7	146.8	155.3	151.8	144.7
	Farm maintenance	42.5	40.6	47.8	50.8	43.8	43.5
	Veterinary expenses and medicines	61.7	63.1	66.4	66.0	64.0	64.8
	Other variable costs¹⁴	124.8	119.3	129.5	133.9	137.6	138.5
	Miscellaneous expenses¹⁵	81.4	81.0	84.2	87.5	87.1	87.9
	Agricultural contract work	73.7	74.5	79.8	93.0	91.4	93.3
	Milk quota leasing	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
	FISIM¹⁶	7.0	8.9	10.4	10.1	12.5	11.7
B	Gross input	1,380.0	1,339.4	1,442.5	1,576.5	1,551.0	1,553.0

C	Gross value added (A-B)	402.3	490.3	711.1	616.0	585.7	673.5

	Consumption of fixed capital (depreciation)
	- livestock	62.8	83.6	71.9	72.4	90.5	107.2
	- plant, machinery and vehicles	124.4	126.9	130.7	140.5	144.0	144.7
	- buildings and works	114.3	113.4	113.3	113.8	114.2	111.5
D	Total consumption of fixed capital	301.5	324.0	315.9	326.7	348.7	363.3

	Other subsidies (not paid on products)¹⁷	284.4	305.7	313.7	301.0	289.1	322.3
	Other taxes (not levied on products)¹⁸	8.3	8.6	8.7	8.8	9.1	9.4

E	Other subsidies (less taxes)	276.0	297.1	304.9	292.2	280.0	313.0

F	Net value added (at factor cost) (C-D+E)	376.8	463.4	700.1	581.5	517.1	623.1

G	Paid labour	68.8	68.1	74.8	76.4	77.9	73.6
H	Interest	33.9	39.4	35.1	38.7	39.4	36.1
I	Net rent¹⁹	51.7	54.4	54.8	55.6	58.0	57.2

J	Total income from farming²⁰ (F-G-H-I)	222.4	301.5	535.4	410.9	341.7	456.3
Source: Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2018, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland
¹A description of the methodology relating to this series and the derivation of the main aggregates, is given in the Appendix.
²2. Output represents the estimated value of home-produced sales, including the value of inter-farm transfers and on-farm use (see Appendix). It includes the value of subsidies on products, the sale value of store animals imported from the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain and finished in Northern Ireland and the value of produce used in farm households. Stock change estimates are included within the individual output and input items.
³Includes finished, breeding and store animals exported to the Republic of Ireland and shipped to Great Britain. The value of imported animals has been deducted.
⁴The LFA Compensatory Allowance (or Areas of Natural Constraint payment from 2015) is included in 'other subsidies'.
⁵Includes shipments and exports of breeding and non-breeding birds, and eggs for hatching.
⁶Includes eggs for processing and duck eggs.
⁷Includes horses, wool, deer and minor livestock products.
⁸Hay, straw, flax, linseed, oilseed rape, mixed corn, protein crops, lawn turf, triticale, hemp and forage crops.
⁹Receipts to both farmer contractors and specialist contractors.
¹⁰Receipts from non-agricultural activities which use farm resources.
¹¹Includes home-fed cereals, proteins, forage crops, hay and stockfeed potatoes. The figure for 2013 includes additional cost of fodder imported under the fodder transport scheme.
¹²Includes home-saved seed.
¹³Hired transport charges, auction fees, slaughter charges and inter farm expenses.
¹⁴Livestock costs other than veterinary and medicines, crop protection, other crop costs, packaging and royalties and levies.
¹⁵Electricity, heating fuel, water rates, fire insurance and other overheads.
¹⁶FISIM - Financial Intermediation Services Indirectly Measured. A description is provided on page 25.
¹⁷Includes Single Farm Payment (for the years 2011-2014), Basic, Greening and Young Farmer's Payments (from 2015), LFA Compensatory Allowance (or Areas of Natural Constraint payment from 2015), payments for the non-capital element of the Environmentally Sensitive Area Scheme, Countryside Management Scheme and other minor grants and subsidies. See table 2.10 for a breakdown of this item.
¹⁸Farm rates and vehicle road tax.
¹⁹Conacre payments to non-producing landowners.
²⁰This estimate should be regarded only as an indicator of trend. The income estimate, being a residual, is subject to cumulative errors in the estimation of input and output items (see Appendix).

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2021 Table NI40.6 (XLS 20KB)

Go to next Appendix Appendix 2 Methodology

Return to Northern Ireland Overview

Return to Yearbook Part 3 Overview

Why you can Trust the CSO

Learn about our data and confidentiality safeguards, and the steps we take to produce statistics that can be trusted by all.

go to trust & transparency

Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2021: Part 3 Travel, Agriculture, Environment and COVID-19

Northern Ireland Agriculture

Number of farms in Northern Ireland, June 2009 - 2020

Crop areas in Northern Ireland, 2009-2020

Livestock numbers, June 2009 - 2020

Average producer prices of agricultural products 2015 - 2020

Indices of producer prices of agricultural output 2015 - 2020

Aggregate Agricultural Account: estimated output, input, value added and income of agriculture

Contents

Why you can Trust the CSO

Contact:

Links:

Careers

Follow: