UK Poultry Farm Incomes Fall for Second Year Running
UK - Poultry farm incomes fell 16 per cent in the most recent financial year, following on from a 19 per cent decline the year before, according to the latest Farm Business Survey carried out across England by a group of universities and colleges.
20 December 2016
2 minute read
By: The fall in incomes reflect the continuing downward price trajectory for both broilers and eggs.
However, poultry businesses continue to be some of the most profitable in the farming sector. The average poultry farm income in 2015/16 was £75,100 higher than the national farm average. The proportion of loss making businesses is also significantly lower - just 8 per cent of poultry farms lost money in 2016 compared to 22 per cent of all farms nationally.
Poultry businesses continue to show adaptability in the face of difficult market conditions. Increased throughput and tighter spending helped to avoid the worst of the price falls for most businesses. In particular an 18 per cent cut in feed bills and a further 15 per cent cut in running costs was seen across the sector.
Looking to the future the signs of a strong poultry sector are already there, the trend of diversification continues to bolster farm businesses. In 2016, 28 per cent of poultry farm business income was from diversification, up from just 11 per cent five years ago.
