Farmers in predominantly western counties saw their direct payments increase by over €11m in a single year, based on Irish Farmers Journal analysis of the latest CAP figures.

The Department of Agriculture published the breakdown of Ireland’s CAP payments for the 2019 financial year last Friday. The figures are based on payments farmers received in late 2018. It shows that just under €1.2bn was paid out to some 122,800 farmers. However, the portion of money allocated to farmers in each county continues to change annually as the redistribution of payments between farmers continues through convergence or flattening of farm payments.

Farmers in 11 counties, including all five counties in Connacht, neighbouring Longford, and Donegal, Clare, Kerry, increased their share of CAP payments in 2018.

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Dublin and Wicklow were outliers in the east but increased payments there are likely due to the number of upland farmers in those counties.

The single largest gains were in Mayo, where CAP payments increased by €3m to €70.6m, spread across 11,000 farmers.

This was closely followed by Donegal, up €2.5m to €57.5m, and Kerry, up €2.3m to €67.7m.

The remaining 15 counties saw reductions in their CAP payments between 2017 and 2018.

These losses were greatest in Cork and Tipperary, with €1.3m moved away from farmers in each county.

However, despite the continued increase in the overall allocation of CAP money to farms in the west, the average payment per farmer there still lags behind that of the east.

The average payment for counties that are gaining money under current CAP regulations is €8,811, compared to €12,248 in those which are losing money.

There are outliers in each group.

Farmers in Monaghan and Cavan have seen their total direct payment allocation dwindle despite a low average payment of €7,034 and €7,406, respectively. This is likely to be as a result of high entitlement values.