Table NI29.1 Number of farms in Northern Ireland, June 2008 - 2018 | |||||||||||
2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
Northern Ireland total | 25,952 | 25,264 | 24,471 | 24,436 | 24,285 | 24,503 | 24,228 | 24,907 | 24,528 | 24,956 | 24,895 |
Source: Agricultural Census, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland |
Table NI29.2 Crop areas in Northern Ireland, 2008-2018 | ||||||||||||
('000 hectares) | ||||||||||||
2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | ||
Grass | ||||||||||||
Under 5 yrs old | 117.2 | 120.8 | 118.4 | 129.7 | 133.9 | 139.2 | 146.2 | 149.9 | 148.2 | 144.4 | 144.5 | |
Over 5 yrs old | 672.4 | 669.9 | 661.6 | 647.4 | 646.0 | 648.8 | 641.8 | 650.4 | 652.6 | 660.6 | 663.2 | |
Total grass | 789.6 | 790.7 | 780.0 | 777.1 | 779.8 | 788.0 | 788.0 | 800.3 | 800.8 | 805.0 | 807.6 | |
Hill or rough land | 147.1 | 141.9 | 140.5 | 140.9 | 138.8 | 140.1 | 140.1 | 131.1 | 137.2 | 140.4 | 143.2 | |
Cereals | ||||||||||||
Oats | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 | |
Wheat | 12.1 | 10.1 | 10.9 | 11.6 | 9.4 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 6.8 | |
Barley (winter) | 6.1 | 5.1 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 6.7 | 7.0 | 7.6 | 7.1 | 5.8 | |
Barley (spring) | 19.5 | 21.6 | 17.6 | 17.2 | 20.2 | 20.5 | 16.8 | 15.7 | 14.7 | 14.0 | 14.9 | |
Mixed corn | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | |
Total cereals | 40.4 | 39.2 | 37.8 | 37.9 | 37.1 | 35.9 | 34.2 | 32.9 | 33.4 | 32.3 | 29.7 | |
Other field crops | ||||||||||||
Potatoes | 5.1 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.6 | |
Arable crop silage | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 4.3 | |
Forage maize | 3.5 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.6 | |
SRC Willow | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | |
Other crops1 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 | |
Total other field crops | 15.0 | 15.5 | 14.9 | 13.5 | 13.0 | 12.6 | 12.5 | 11.3 | 11.0 | 12.0 | 12.4 | |
Horticultural crops | ||||||||||||
Fruit | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
Vegetables | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | |
Ornamentals | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | |
Total horticultural crops | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.8 | |
Total crops | 58.3 | 57.7 | 55.6 | 54.4 | 53.0 | 51.6 | 49.8 | 47.3 | 47.4 | 47.2 | 44.9 | |
Total crops & grass | 848.0 | 848.4 | 835.5 | 831.5 | 832.8 | 839.6 | 837.8 | 847.7 | 848.2 | 852.2 | 852.6 | |
Other land | ||||||||||||
Set-aside | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Woods and plantations | 9.9 | 10.3 | 10.2 | 10.8 | 11.0 | 10.3 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 16.1 | 15.8 | 16.3 | |
Other land2 | 11.3 | 6.9 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 8.3 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 11.8 | 11.4 | 10.4 | |
Total other land | 22.3 | 17.6 | 18.0 | 19.0 | 19.3 | 18.3 | 18.9 | 18.9 | 27.9 | 27.2 | 26.7 | |
Total area farmed | 1,017.4 | 1,008.0 | 994.0 | 991.4 | 991.0 | 998.0 | 996.8 | 997.7 | 1013.2 | 1019.7 | 1022.4 | |
1Other Crops - Oilseed rape, Turnip/beet, Kale/Cabbage, other stockfeed crops, Triticale, Linseed, Flax. | ||||||||||||
2Other land - fallow land, roads, buildings, bogs, wasteland, gardens etc. | ||||||||||||
Source: Agricultural Census, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland |
Table NI29.3 Livestock numbers, June 2008 - 2018 | |||||||||||
Thousand head | |||||||||||
2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
Cattle1 | |||||||||||
Dairy cows | 289.2 | 284.7 | 281.0 | 282.5 | 285.4 | 279.5 | 294.2 | 311.5 | 317.1 | 315.8 | 310.7 |
Dairy heifers in calf | 64.3 | 62.5 | 61.9 | 62.3 | 65.4 | 67.1 | 62.1 | 60.8 | 58.8 | 60.1 | 59.0 |
Beef cows | 265.7 | 256.8 | 257.6 | 269.5 | 279.2 | 270.1 | 254.9 | 260.3 | 269.7 | 267.1 | 255.9 |
Beef heifers in calf | 39.7 | 37.6 | 38.4 | 42.1 | 40.9 | 37.4 | 31.9 | 31.7 | 31.1 | 30.4 | 29.7 |
Total cows | 554.9 | 541.5 | 538.7 | 552.0 | 564.6 | 549.6 | 549.1 | 571.8 | 586.9 | 582.9 | 566.6 |
Total heifers in calf | 104.0 | 100.1 | 100.3 | 104.4 | 106.3 | 104.5 | 93.9 | 92.5 | 90.0 | 90.5 | 88.7 |
Bulls for service | 19.6 | 18.6 | 18.4 | 18.7 | 19.0 | 18.8 | 18.1 | 17.7 | 17.4 | 17.2 | 16.9 |
Other cattle | |||||||||||
Over 2 years | 151.5 | 132.0 | 133.6 | 123.7 | 117.2 | 113.3 | 132.6 | 121.1 | 101.7 | 106.2 | 117.7 |
1-2 years | 333.5 | 348.6 | 354.2 | 338.7 | 334.5 | 345.2 | 331.8 | 328.3 | 358.1 | 378.7 | 364.4 |
Under 1 year | 459.0 | 458.4 | 459.1 | 452.9 | 483.9 | 456.3 | 441.8 | 477.4 | 510.5 | 491.0 | 474.8 |
Total cattle | 1,622.5 | 1,599.0 | 1,604.4 | 1,590.5 | 1,625.4 | 1,587.8 | 1,567.3 | 1,608.9 | 1,664.6 | 1,666.4 | 1,629.1 |
Sheep | |||||||||||
Breeding ewes | 935.4 | 892.4 | 875.9 | 895.2 | 937.5 | 921.4 | 910.6 | 938.6 | 955.2 | 973.3 | 956.5 |
Other sheep | 1,038.2 | 1,004.3 | 971.8 | 992.4 | 1,031.4 | 982.1 | 1,012.3 | 1,051.0 | 1,067.8 | 1,079.2 | 1,049.5 |
Total sheep | 1,973.6 | 1,896.7 | 1,847.7 | 1,887.6 | 1,968.9 | 1,903.5 | 1,922.9 | 1,989.7 | 2,023.0 | 2,052.6 | 2,006.0 |
Pigs2 | |||||||||||
Sows and gilts | 35.5 | 38.2 | 38.5 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 42.5 | 42.8 | 45.6 | 46.4 | 47.9 | 49.6 |
Other pigs | 366.9 | 395.4 | 386.1 | 387.2 | 388.6 | 437.8 | 474.2 | 524.1 | 554.7 | 601.2 | 584.0 |
Total pigs | 402.4 | 433.5 | 424.6 | 425.3 | 426.9 | 480.3 | 517.1 | 569.7 | 601.1 | 649.1 | 633.6 |
Poultry3 | |||||||||||
Laying birds | 2,398.5 | 2,315.7 | 2,099.4 | 2,429.7 | 2,556.7 | 2,438.4 | 3,044.6 | 3,174.1 | 3,550.0 | 3,962.8 | 4,331.9 |
Growing pullets | 1,174.3 | 999.1 | 1,017.3 | 1,109.2 | 1,089.2 | 909.3 | 916.3 | 908.0 | 961.9 | 1,202.0 | 1,121.3 |
Breeding flock | 1,205.2 | 1,573.2 | 1,078.2 | 1,528.0 | 1,641.1 | 2,150.6 | 2,413.7 | 2,404.9 | 2,282.7 | 2,526.9 | 2,515.9 |
Table chickens | 11,543.5 | 11,418.3 | 11,915.1 | 14,069.4 | 13,459.4 | 13,412.0 | 13,614.2 | 14,273.1 | 14,459.2 | 16,766.6 | 17,663.0 |
Total ordinary fowl | 16,321.4 | 16,306.3 | 16,109.9 | 19,136.3 | 18,746.4 | 18,910.4 | 19,988.8 | 20,760.1 | 21,253.8 | 24,458.3 | 25,632.1 |
Other poultry | 809.4 | 556.4 | 421.2 | 486.2 | 441.7 | 463.5 | 412.4 | 485.6 | 530.0 | 452.3 | 398.5 |
Total poultry | 17,130.9 | 16,862.7 | 16,531.1 | 19,622.5 | 19,188.2 | 19,373.8 | 20,401.1 | 21,245.7 | 21,783.8 | 24,910.6 | 26,030.6 |
Horses & Ponies4 | 11.8 | 12.2 | 12.5 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 11.7 | 11.1 | 11.0 | 10.3 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
Goats | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.8 |
1From 2005 onwards, cattle figures sourced from APHIS | |||||||||||
2From 2013 onwards, pig figures sourced from the Northern Ireland Annual Inventory of Pigs | |||||||||||
3From 2007 onwards, poultry figures sourced from the Northern Ireland Bird Register Update | |||||||||||
4Horses and ponies on agricultural holdings. | |||||||||||
Source: Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2016, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland |
Table NI29.4 Average producer prices1 of agricultural products, 2013 - 2018 | |||||||
£ per unit | |||||||
Unit | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
(provisional) | |||||||
Finished steers, heifers and young bulls | head | 1,157 | 1,086 | 1,106 | 1,082 | 1,162 | 1,174 |
Finished steers, heifers and young bulls | kg dwt | 3.55 | 3.29 | 3.26 | 3.19 | 3.48 | 3.49 |
Calves slaughtered or exported | head | 247 | 297 | 308 | 305 | 303 | 314 |
Culled cows and bulls | head | 785 | 681 | 666 | 670 | 747 | 768 |
Culled cows and bulls | kg dwt | 2.57 | 2.18 | 2.14 | 2.16 | 2.47 | 2.51 |
Store cattle exported | head | 762 | 770 | 795 | 749 | 801 | 806 |
Finished sheep and lambs | head | 82.39 | 83.08 | 73.89 | 83.00 | 86.12 | 92.13 |
Finished sheep and lambs | kg dwt | 3.87 | 3.81 | 3.40 | 3.88 | 3.99 | 4.26 |
Finished clean pigs | head | 130.72 | 125.00 | 102.41 | 102.27 | 134.79 | 129.73 |
Finished clean pigs | kg dwt | 1.56 | 1.46 | 1.19 | 1.18 | 1.52 | 1.42 |
Milk2 | litre | 0.318 | 0.297 | 0.212 | 0.206 | 0.290 | 0.290 |
Eggs for consumption | dozen | 0.734 | 0.721 | 0.751 | 0.751 | 0.730 | 0.701 |
Broilers | kg lwt | 0.860 | 0.812 | 0.750 | 0.713 | 0.753 | 0.757 |
Potatoes: | |||||||
Ware maincrop3 | tonne | 196 | 125 | 129 | 153 | 147 | 168 |
Seed | tonne | 218 | 167 | 153 | 171 | 173 | 166 |
Barley | tonne | 179 | 146 | 130 | 134 | 154 | 186 |
Wheat | tonne | 195 | 156 | 136 | 137 | 161 | 182 |
Oats | tonne | 193 | 162 | 153 | 149 | 158 | 190 |
Mushrooms | tonne | 1,450 | 1,484 | 1,496 | 1,496 | 1,496 | 1,496 |
Apples | tonne | 267 | 259 | 271 | 258 | 263 | 203 |
1Before deduction of marketing charges, commissions and levies, where applicable. | |||||||
2Before deduction of superlevy, if applicable. | |||||||
3Does not include early potatoes. Therefore, the price differs from that quoted in Table 2.24. | |||||||
Source: Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2018, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland |
Table NI29.6 Indices of producer prices1 of agricultural output, 2013 - 2018 | |||||||
Indices: 2015 = 100 | |||||||
Weights2 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
(provisional) | |||||||
Finished steers and heifers | 216 | 109 | 101 | 100 | 98 | 107 | 107 |
Culled cows and bulls | 41 | 120 | 102 | 100 | 101 | 116 | 117 |
Store cattle exported | 6 | 96 | 97 | 100 | 94 | 101 | 101 |
Finished sheep and lambs | 37 | 114 | 112 | 100 | 114 | 117 | 125 |
Finished clean pigs | 75 | 131 | 123 | 100 | 100 | 128 | 120 |
Milk | 303 | 150 | 140 | 100 | 97 | 137 | 137 |
Eggs for consumption | 56 | 98 | 96 | 100 | 100 | 97 | 93 |
Broilers | 120 | 115 | 108 | 100 | 95 | 100 | 101 |
Potatoes: | |||||||
Ware maincrop | 12 | 152 | 97 | 100 | 119 | 114 | 131 |
Seed | 1 | 143 | 109 | 100 | 112 | 113 | 109 |
Barley | 12 | 137 | 112 | 100 | 102 | 118 | 142 |
Wheat | 6 | 144 | 115 | 100 | 101 | 118 | 134 |
Mushrooms | 43 | 97 | 99 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Apples | 7 | 99 | 96 | 100 | 95 | 97 | 75 |
Total products index2 | 935 | 125 | 117 | 100 | 99 | 118 | 118 |
Inputs index3 | 1,000 | 110 | 106 | 100 | 98 | 98 | 105 |
1The indices relate to prices from which marketing expenses have not been deducted. | |||||||
2The total products index is calculated by taking into account the significance of each item in the base period (2015). This is shown in the column of weights. Since only the main items of output are included, the total of their weights does not add to 1,000. Also, since the price index does not cover items such as production grants, compensation payments and gross fixed capital formation, it should not be regarded as a 'deflator' to be used in estimating the volume of output. (A volume series of gross output is given in Table 2.3). | |||||||
3This index does not cover all inputs. It comprises feedstuffs, seeds, fertilisers and lime and marketing expenses. | |||||||
Source: Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2018, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland |
Go to next Appendix >>> Appendix 2 Methodology
Return to >>> Northern Ireland Overview
Return to >>> Yearbook Overview
Learn about our data and confidentiality safeguards, and the steps we take to produce statistics that can be trusted by all.