Farmers warn of 30% decline in income this year

Farmers have warned their average income will fall by at least 30% this year due to the combined effect of bad weather and budgetary cutbacks in farm support schemes.

The Irish Farmers’ Association yesterday called on the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, to rule out any further cuts to such schemes in 2013 amid fears that further bad weather over the next month could see incomes drop “substantially higher” than 30%.

IFA president John Bryan said the Government had already overseen disproportionate cuts to farm schemes in last year’s budget and accused Mr Coveney of failing to protect the income of farmers.