Average farm incomes rose to €21,500 in 2011, CSO estimates

Farmers will be encouraged by preliminary CSO estimates suggesting farm incomes have increased to an average of €21,500 during 2011.

While the jump of almost 30% on the previous year’s €18,000-plus must yet be confirmed, it suggests incomes have risen in parallel with gains in output across almost all sectors of farming. Overall goods output and producer prices rose by 17.1%, or €913m, in 2011.

However, as the IFA points out, these income figures do not take full account of increased costs pressures on farmers in the same period.