First estimates published today show total income from farming in the UK rose by £1.683bn to £5.742bn from 2016 to 2017, an increase of 41%.

The increased productivity recorded in 2017 also shows farmers are producing more with less, which suggests they are using smarter, more efficient methods and embracing innovation. The volume of all outputs increased by 3.6% compared to 2016, whilst the volume of all inputs increased by just 0.7%.

Strong harvest

A strong harvest in 2017 helped to drive productivity higher for 2017, with a 7.3% increase in the volume of all crops estimated. Livestock outputs for meat and other products also rose by 1.8% from 2016. More productive farming across all sectors is directly benefiting farmers’ bank balances as the total income from farming per person engaged in entrepreneurial labour in the sector rose by 41% in real terms to £29,794/year.

Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, George Eustice said: "Estimates show 2017 was a good year for the farming industry, in particular those in the arable and livestock sectors. Whilst the increase in farm gate prices has helped, it’s also encouraging to see signs that productivity is on the up."

Read more

Dairy drives 30% farm income jump – Teagasc

Income gap between dairy and other sectors widens