FG: Farmers losing €3,899 this year

THE average Irish farmer will lose €3,899 this year, even when the Single Farm Payment (SFP) is included as part of their income, Fine Gael claimed yesterday.

According to the party’s spokesman on agriculture and food Denis Naughten, the average annual income of each farmer in Ireland is €15,557, which includes the Single Farm Payment.

But when input costs of €15,478 and Government stealth charges of €3,978 are taken into account, farmers are actually losing over €3,900 this year.