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Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2020

Northern Ireland Agriculture

-68

Decrease in the number of farms in Northern Ireland from 2018 - 2019

Number of farms in Northern Ireland, June 2009 - 2019

Table NI37.1 Number of farms in Northern Ireland, June 2007 - 2019
	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
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	24,827
Source: Agricultural Census, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook Of Ireland 2020 Table NI37.1 (XLS 10KB)

Crop areas in Northern Ireland, 2007-2019

Table NI37.2 Crop areas in Northern Ireland, 2007-2019
('000 hectares)
	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
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	148.8
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	659.9

Total grass	789.6	790.7	780.0	777.1	779.8	788.0	788.0	800.3	800.8	805.0	807.6	808.7

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	143.6

Cereals
Oats	2.4	2.1	2.3	2.1	1.9	2.0	2.1	2.1	2.3	2.3	2.0	1.9
Wheat	12.1	10.1	10.9	11.6	9.4	8.0	8.5	8.0	8.6	8.7	6.8	8.1
Barley (winter)	6.1	5.1	6.8	6.8	5.3	5.3	6.7	7.0	7.6	7.1	5.8	7.7
Barley (spring)	19.5	21.6	17.6	17.2	20.2	20.5	16.8	15.7	14.7	14.0	14.9	11.9
Mixed corn	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.2

Total cereals	40.4	39.2	37.8	37.9	37.1	35.9	34.2	32.9	33.4	32.3	29.7	29.8

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	3.8
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	3.9
Forage maize	3.5	3.3	2.9	2.5	1.9	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.3	1.3	1.6	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	0.6
Other crops ¹	2.7	3.1	2.7	2.4	2.7	2.1	2.2	2.4	2.1	2.3	2.4	2.4

Total other field crops	15.0	15.5	14.9	13.5	13.0	12.6	12.5	11.3	11.0	12.0	12.5	12.3

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	1.4
Vegetables	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.4	1.3	1.4	1.2	1.3	1.1	1.2
Ornamentals	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	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	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	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	853.6

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	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	15.7
Other land ²	11.3	6.9	7.8	8.2	8.3	8.0	7.8	7.9	11.8	11.4	10.4	10.2
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	25.9

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	1023.2
¹ Other Crops - Oilseed rape, Turnip/beet, Kale/Cabbage, other stockfeed crops, Triticale, Linseed, Flax.
² Other land - fallow land, roads, buildings, bogs, wasteland, gardens etc.
Source: Agricultural Census, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2020 Table NI37.2 (XLS 16KB)

-17,300

Decline in total cattle numbers from 2018 to 2019

Livestock numbers, June 2008 - 2019

Table NI37.3 Livestock numbers, June 2008 - 2019
thousand head
	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
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	313.5
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	60.3

Beef cows	265.7	256.8	257.6	269.5	279.2	270.1	254.9	260.3	269.7	267.1	255.9	247.0
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	29.1

Total cows	554.9	541.5	538.7	552.0	564.6	549.6	549.1	571.8	586.9	582.9	566.6	560.5

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	89.4

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	16.5

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	122.7
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	353.5
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	469.1

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	1,611.8

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	938.5
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	1,048.5

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	1,986.9

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	47.5
Other pigs	366.9	395.4	386.1	387.2	388.6	437.8	474.2	524.1	554.7	601.2	584.0	626.9

Total pigs	402.4	433.5	424.6	425.3	426.9	480.3	517.1	569.7	601.1	649.1	633.6	674.4

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	4,998.7
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	1,481.2
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	2,558.7
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	15,351.6

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	24,390.2

Other poultry	809.4	556.4	421.2	486.2	441.7	463.5	412.4	485.6	530.0	452.3	398.5	390.2

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	24,780.4

Horses & ponies⁴	11.8	12.2	12.5	12.0	12.0	11.7	11.1	11.0	10.3	9.6	9.0	8.7

Goats	2.8	2.7	2.9	3.1	3.1	3.2	3.2	3.8	3.8	4.2	3.8	3.4
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

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2020 Table NI37.3 (XLS 16KB)

Average producer prices of agricultural products 2014-2019

Table NI37.4 Average producer prices¹ of agricultural products 2014-2019
£ per unit
	Unit	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
(provisional)
Finished steers, heifers and young bulls	head	1,086	1,106	1,082	1,162	1,174	1,119
Finished steers, heifers and young bulls	kg dwt	3.29	3.26	3.19	3.48	3.49	3.26
Calves slaughtered or exported	head	297	308	305	303	310	335
Culled cows and bulls	head	681	666	670	747	768	708
Culled cows and bulls	kg dwt	2.18	2.14	2.16	2.47	2.51	2.25
Store cattle exported	head	770	795	749	801	806	782
Finished sheep and lambs	head	83.08	73.89	83.00	86.12	92.09	85.71
Finished sheep and lambs	kg dwt	3.81	3.40	3.88	3.99	4.26	3.86
Finished clean pigs	head	125.00	102.41	102.27	134.79	129.76	133.25
Finished clean pigs	kg dwt	1.46	1.19	1.18	1.52	1.42	1.46
Milk²	litre	0.297	0.212	0.206	0.291	0.290	0.274
Eggs for consumption	dozen	0.721	0.751	0.751	0.730	0.695	0.651
Broilers	kg lwt	0.898	0.856	0.867	0.900	0.925	0.932
Potatoes:
Ware maincrop³	tonne	125	129	153	147	170	175
Seed	tonne	167	153	171	173	166	196
Barley	tonne	146	130	134	154	186	163
Wheat	tonne	156	136	137	161	182	174
Oats	tonne	162	153	149	158	190	194
Mushrooms	tonne	1,484	1,496	1,460	1,530	1,570	1,600
Apples	tonne	259	271	258	263	203	199
¹Before deduction of marketing charges, commissions and levies, where applicable.
²Before deduction of super levy, 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

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2020 Table NI37.4 (XLS 13KB)

Indices of producer prices of agricultural output 2014 - 2019

Table NI37.5 Indices of producer prices¹ of agricultural output, 2014 - 2019
Indices: 2015 = 100
	Weights²	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
(provisional)
Finished steers and heifers	221	101	100	98	107	107	100
Culled cows and bulls	32	102	100	101	116	118	105
Store cattle exported	3	97	100	94	101	101	98
Finished sheep and lambs	48	112	100	114	117	125	113
Finished clean pigs	71	123	100	100	128	120	123
Milk	360	140	100	97	137	137	129
Eggs for consumption	26	96	100	100	97	92	87
Broilers	80	108	100	101	105	108	109
Potatoes:
Ware maincrop	19	97	100	119	114	132	136
Seed	3	109	100	112	113	109	128
Barley	23	112	100	102	118	142	125
Wheat	5	115	100	101	118	134	128
Mushrooms	33	99	100	98	102	105	107
Apples	6	96	100	95	97	75	73

Total products index²	930	116	100	99	118	119	113
Inputs index³	1,000	106	100	98	98	104	106
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

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2020 Table NI37.5 (XLS 13KB)

Aggregate Agricultural Account: estimated output, input, value added and income of agriculture 2014 - 2019

Open in Excel:

Table NI37.6 Aggregate Agricultural Account: estimated output, input, value added and income of agriculture 2014 - 2019

Table NI37.6 Aggregate Agricultural Account: estimated output, input, value added and income of agriculture¹ 2014 - 2019
£million
		2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
(provisional)
	Output²
	Livestock and livestock products³
	Finished cattle and calves⁴	392.0	402.3	432.9	464.4	459.7	427.0
	Finished sheep and lambs⁴	69.4	63.3	75.0	73.1	80.3	65.6
	Finished pigs	133.2	114.1	121.1	166.3	156.8	179.2
	Poultry⁵	278.6	274.8	294.6	309.6	331.1	309.5
	Eggs⁶	79.6	88.6	94.8	104.0	108.5	108.4
	Milk	654.2	480.1	453.3	664.1	681.5	654.5
	Minor products⁷	15.0	15.3	14.3	13.9	13.6	13.1
	Total livestock and livestock products	1,622.1	1,438.5	1,486.0	1,795.5	1,831.5	1,757.2

	Field crops
	Potatoes	18.8	17.2	20.3	23.0	21.0	23.3
	Cereals	31.6	28.9	26.7	30.4	32.4	33.4
	of which: barley	19.8	18.3	16.7	17.6	21.8	20.7
	wheat	9.9	8.7	8.2	10.8	8.7	10.6
	oats	1.9	1.9	1.8	2.0	1.9	2.1
	Other crops⁸	12.4	12.4	10.5	11.4	13.0	14.1
	Total field crops	62.7	58.4	57.5	64.8	66.3	70.8

	Horticultural products
	Fruit	11.6	11.7	14.4	16.5	14.0	8.4
	Vegetables	22.2	21.5	19.1	18.3	17.4	17.1
	Mushrooms	54.6	67.5	52.2	54.3	53.6	55.0
	Ornamental and hardy nursery stock	14.3	18.9	20.9	25.3	24.8	20.8
	Total horticultural products	102.7	119.5	106.6	114.4	109.8	101.3

	Capital formation (breeding livestock)	59.2	74.4	90.0	82.7	76.8	103.3

	Agricultural contract work⁹	79.6	73.7	74.5	79.8	96.4	102.2

	Milk quota leasing	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

	Inseparable non-agricultural activities¹⁰	17.6	17.4	13.4	13.5	14.0	14.2

A	Gross output	1,943.9	1,782.0	1,828.0	2,150.7	2,195.0	2,149.0

	Input (also known as 'intermediate consumption')
	Expenditure
	Feedstuffs¹¹	773.5	727.9	707.0	770.8	865.0	850.6
	Seeds¹²	11.1	10.6	10.1	11.0	10.7	11.0
	Marketing expenses¹³	35.5	36.5	38.4	38.3	37.8	37.3
	Fertilisers and lime	82.5	74.1	70.7	84.2	85.1	85.0
	Total machinery expenses (excl. depreciation)	152.2	139.2	135.7	146.8	158.0	161.0
	Farm maintenance	44.4	42.5	40.6	47.8	51.0	52.2
	Veterinary expenses and medicines	60.0	61.5	62.6	66.5	67.4	68.5
	Other variable costs¹⁴	119.3	124.7	119.1	129.8	135.8	143.3
	Miscellaneous expenses¹⁵	81.4	81.4	80.8	84.2	89.5	93.2
	Agricultural contract work	79.6	73.7	74.5	79.8	96.4	102.2
	Milk quota leasing	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
	FISIM¹⁶	7.2	7.0	8.9	10.0	10.0	11.5
B	Gross input	1,446.8	1,379.1	1,348.5	1,469.2	1,606.8	1,615.8

C	Gross value added (A-B)	497.1	402.9	479.4	681.4	588.2	533.1

	Consumption of fixed capital (depreciation)
	- livestock	64.8	62.8	83.6	71.9	72.4	91.8
	- plant, machinery and vehicles	124.2	124.4	126.9	129.2	136.6	141.3
	- buildings and works	116.8	114.3	113.4	113.2	113.8	114.0
D	Total consumption of fixed capital	305.7	301.5	324.0	314.3	322.8	347.0

	Other subsidies (not paid on products)¹⁷	292.5	284.4	305.6	313.5	300.8	289.6
	Other taxes (not levied on products)¹⁸	8.2	8.3	8.6	8.7	9.0	9.2

E	Other subsidies (less taxes)	284.3	276.0	297.0	304.7	291.8	280.4

F	Net value added (at factor cost) (C-D+E)	475.7	377.4	452.5	671.9	557.2	466.5

G	Paid labour	65.2	68.8	68.1	74.8	76.6	80.4
H	Interest	31.2	33.9	39.5	35.8	38.7	39.9
I	Net rent¹⁹	51.3	51.7	54.4	54.8	55.6	56.4

J	Total income from farming²⁰ (F-G-H-I)	328.1	223.0	290.5	506.5	386.3	289.8
¹A description of the methodology relating to this series and the derivation of the main aggregates, is given in the Appendix.
²2. Output represents the estimated value of home-produced sales, including the value of inter-farm transfers and on-farm use (see Appendix). It includes the value of subsidies on products, the sale value of store animals imported from the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain and finished in Northern Ireland and the value of produce used in farm households. Stock change estimates are included within the individual output and input items.
³Includes finished, breeding and store animals exported to the Republic of Ireland and shipped to Great Britain. The value of imported animals has been deducted.
⁴The LFA Compensatory Allowance (or Areas of Natural Constraint payment from 2015) is included in 'other subsidies'.
⁵Includes shipments and exports of breeding and non-breeding birds, and eggs for hatching.
⁶Includes eggs for processing and duck eggs.
⁷Includes horses, wool, deer and minor livestock products.
⁸Hay, straw, flax, linseed, oilseed rape, mixed corn, protein crops, lawn turf, triticale, hemp and forage crops.
⁹Receipts to both farmer contractors and specialist contractors.
¹⁰Receipts from non-agricultural activities which use farm resources.
¹¹Includes home-fed cereals, proteins, forage crops, hay and stockfeed potatoes. The figure for 2013 includes additional cost of fodder imported under the fodder transport scheme.
¹²Includes home-saved seed.
¹³Hired transport charges, auction fees, slaughter charges and inter farm expenses.
¹⁴Livestock costs other than veterinary and medicines, crop protection, other crop costs, packaging and royalties and levies.
¹⁵Electricity, heating fuel, water rates, fire insurance and other overheads.
¹⁶FISIM - Financial Intermediation Services Indirectly Measured. A description is provided on page 25.
¹⁷Includes Single Farm Payment (for the years 2011-2014), Basic, Greening and Young Farmer's Payments (from 2015), LFA Compensatory Allowance (or Areas of Natural Constraint payment from 2015), payments for the non-capital element of the Environmentally Sensitive Area Scheme, Countryside Management Scheme and other minor grants and subsidies. See table 2.10 for a breakdown of this item.
¹⁸Farm rates and vehicle road tax.
¹⁹Conacre payments to non-producing landowners.
²⁰This estimate should be regarded only as an indicator of trend. The income estimate, being a residual, is subject to cumulative errors in the estimation of input and output items (see Appendix).
Source: Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2018, Dept. of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland

Open in Excel: Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2020 Table NI37.6 (XLS 20KB)

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Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2020

Northern Ireland Agriculture

Number of farms in Northern Ireland, June 2009 - 2019

Crop areas in Northern Ireland, 2007-2019

Livestock numbers, June 2008 - 2019

Average producer prices of agricultural products 2014-2019

Indices of producer prices of agricultural output 2014 - 2019

Aggregate Agricultural Account: estimated output, input, value added and income of agriculture 2014 - 2019

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