Preliminary estimates from the Central Statistics Office shows that the projected 15% increase in farm output prices in 2025 has almost entirely been driven by a 41% increase in cattle prices when compared to 2024.
Milk prices are estimated to have increased 5.4% from a year earlier, with sheep prices up a similar amount. Pig prices are 3.1% lower. There’s no good news for tillage farmers with cereal prices coming in 3.1% lower than 2024 and potato prices down a huge 14.8% (see Figure 1).
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On the cost side, while 2025 has generally avoided the massive volatility which has been a feature of recent years, there has been an estimated 8.1% increase in the cost of fertiliser. Veterinary expenses were also notably higher with a 4.7% rise in the year. Both energy and feed showed small declines, down 1% and 1.9% respectively.
Overall, the projections suggest that agricultural output prices for the industry as a whole have risen faster than input costs for the second year in a row (see Figure 2).
The uneven nature of the rise in prices may be a cause for concern, with farmers in different sectors likely to have very different financial outcomes for the year.
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Preliminary estimates from the Central Statistics Office shows that the projected 15% increase in farm output prices in 2025 has almost entirely been driven by a 41% increase in cattle prices when compared to 2024.
Milk prices are estimated to have increased 5.4% from a year earlier, with sheep prices up a similar amount. Pig prices are 3.1% lower. There’s no good news for tillage farmers with cereal prices coming in 3.1% lower than 2024 and potato prices down a huge 14.8% (see Figure 1).
On the cost side, while 2025 has generally avoided the massive volatility which has been a feature of recent years, there has been an estimated 8.1% increase in the cost of fertiliser. Veterinary expenses were also notably higher with a 4.7% rise in the year. Both energy and feed showed small declines, down 1% and 1.9% respectively.
Overall, the projections suggest that agricultural output prices for the industry as a whole have risen faster than input costs for the second year in a row (see Figure 2).
The uneven nature of the rise in prices may be a cause for concern, with farmers in different sectors likely to have very different financial outcomes for the year.
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