Rise in farming incomes as highest productivity ever is recorded for the sector
Total farming income and productivity are on the rise, latest estimates for 2017 show
3 May 2018
3 minute read
By: - First estimates for 2017 show total income in farming rose by 41 percent
- Profits made thanks to an increase in crop production and higher farm gate prices across most sectors
- Productivity is estimated to have increased by 2.9 percent between 2016 and 2017 to the highest level recorded
Total income from farming is the profit from all UK farms in a calendar year, measuring the return to all businesses for their management, labour and capital invested.
First estimates published today show total income from farming rose by £1,683 million from 2016 to 2017, an increase of 41 percent. The £5,742 million estimated for 2017 highlights farming remains a profitable and rewarding business for established farmers and new entrants who are in a strong position ahead of the UK’s exit from the EU.
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 percent compared to 2016 whilst the volume of all inputs increased by just 0.7 percent.
A strong harvest in 2017 helped to drive productivity higher for 2017, with a 7.3 percent increase in the volume of all crops estimated. Livestock outputs for meat and other products also rose by 1.8 percent from 2016. More productive farming across all sectors is directly benefitting farmers’ bank balances as the total income from farming per person engaged in entrepreneurial labour in the sector rose by 41 percent in real terms to £29,794 a year.
Farming Minister 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.
“Farming is a volatile business and individual businesses will face many different challenges in a year, but these estimates show an industry that is ready to make the most of the opportunities leaving the EU will present.”
As reported by Defra
Ryan Johnson
Ryan worked in conservation from 2008 to 2017, during which time he operated a rainbow trout hatchery and helped to maintain public and protected green spaces in Canada for the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. As editor of The Poultry Site, he now writes about challenges and opportunities in agriculture across the globe.
