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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 27 Oct 1993

Vol. 435 No. 1

Written Answers. - Farm Incomes.

Ceist:

132 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his views on whether there has been a rise in farm incomes; if so, the amount of any such rise; the period to which it refers; the base year; the sources of the figures; if he will give a breakdown of the figure for the farming industry, sector by sector; his views on the accuracy of recent reports of an increase in farm income of 18 per cent; if such increase is indicated by these figures; if not, the amount of increase, if any, indicated by these figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Joe Walsh

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

Aggregate farm income increased by 33 per cent in nominal terms between 1987 and 1992, taking 1987 as the base year. This would represent an increase in real terms (taking inflation into account) of 16 per cent. The rise in farm income between 1991 and 1992 was 18 per cent. The indications are that farm incomes will increase substantially again this year, but the exact level of increase remains dependent on prices and output in the main commodity areas, particularly the beef sector for the remainder of the year.

The estimates for aggregate incomes are taken from CSO data. The CSO does not publish estimates of incomes on a sector by sector basis.
Estimates of family farm income levels for the different main farming systems are provided in the annual Teagasc National Farm Survey. The Survey includes about 1,400 farms and is selected to represent the major systems of farming and also to be representative of all sizes of farms within these systems.
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