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The value of pig production to the border region soared by €32.4m (31.1%) to €136.7m in 2019, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The CSO defines the border region as counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo and it was pig production that drove an overall recovery in incomes here last year.
Pig production was main factor that contributed to the border being the only region where the value of livestock grew in 2019, increasing by €28.6m (+5.2%) to €581.8m.
With little growth in the value of milk production, the value of livestock products increased by just €1.5m (+0.7%) in the border region last year, while the value of crops in the region decreased by €28.3m.
With growth of €20m (+5.1%) in operating surplus in 2019, the west recovered one third (+33.3%) of the €59.9m reduction in operating surplus that it suffered in 2018, according to the CSO.
With the value of cattle falling by €9.2m to €328.7m in the west (Galway, Mayo and Roscommon), (-2.7%), the overall value of livestock fell by €4.3m (-0.9%).
However, the value of milk production in the west increased by €8.8m (8.4%) to €117.6m last year.
Mid-west
In the mid-west (Clare, Limerick and Tipperary), the value of livestock fell by €30.8m (-5.3%) to €414m in 2019, with cattle responsible for €20.2m of this fall and horses for a further €13.6m.
The value of the region’s milk production increased by €7.0m (+1.3%), while crop values fell by €48.5m (-17.3%).
Looking to the southwest, growth of €21.8m (+24.8%) in the value of pig production was offset by the €19.8m (-5.2%) fall in the value of cattle output.
This region had the highest dependency on dairy farming, with 46.1% of the value of its agricultural output derived from milk.
The value of its milk output decreased by €11.4m (-1.4%), making it the only region that experienced a fall in the value of milk production.
East
In the southeast (Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford), there was a similar trend with the value of its livestock production fell by €27.3m (-6.0%) to €425.4m, with cattle responsible for €24.9m of this fall.
Dairy farmers experienced some growth, with the value of milk increasing by €11.3m (+2.4%) to €481m. Crops, which accounted for 26.9% of the value of region’s agricultural output, fell by €22.0m (-5.7%) to €364.6m.
In Dublin and the mideast (Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow), crop production accounted for 38.7% of the value of its agricultural output, compared with a national average of 22.3%.
In 2019, the value of livestock in the region fell by €27.5m (-6.5%), with the value of horse and cattle production falling by €18.9m and €14.7m respectively.
Midlands
In the midlands, the value of pig production increased by €13.0m (+15.4%) to €96.9m. With the value of both cattle falling by €16.1m and horses falling by €4.8m, overall the value of livestock fell by €8.1m (-1.9%).
Dairy farmers did relatively well, with the value of milk increasing by €15.0m (+7.6%).
Similar to all other regions, the value of crop production in the region fell, decreasing by €31.4m (-15.4%) as the value of forage plants contracted by €34.1m (-22.1%).
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