The Agricultural Output Price Index increased in January 2020 compared to the same month in 2019, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The index increased by 1.6% in January compared to 12 months earlier. At the same time, the Input Price Index decreased by 2% over the same time-frame.

This gives an annual increase in terms of trade of 3.7%.

Over that same time-frame, the Input Price Index was unchanged. This give a positive change in terms of trade of 1.7%.

Output price sub-indices

Looking at the individual sub-indices across sectors, they show that animal output value increased 5.6% in January 2020 compared to January 2019.

The cattle sub-index increased by 4.1%, with calves alone increasing by 5.9%. The pig index rose sharply by 41.1%, while the sheep index rose by 3%. Poultry saw a more marginal increase of 0.5%.

Animal products increased very slightly from January 2019 to January 2020, rising by 0.4%. This was accounted for by a 0.5% increase in milk. The indices for eggs and wool, on the other hand, fell by 2.3% and 17.9% respectively.

When these indices are examined on a month-to-month basis, they show a 2.1% increase for animal output, with cattle rising 4.2% and pigs rising 0.8%.

On this time-frame, animal products increased by 1.6% solely down to milk (eggs and wool were unchanged from December 2019 to January 2020).

The crops index fell by 1.1% from December to January.

Input price sub-indices

Turning now to the input price sub-indices, and fertilisers were down 6.9% in January 2020, compared to 12 months earlier. This is accounted for by a 9.3% decrease in straight fertilisers and a 6.2% decrease in compound fertilisers. Other fertilisers decreased by 2.8%.

The index for feeding stuffs also saw a decline, falling by 5.8% from January 2019 to January 2020. Straight feeding stuffs fell by 10.5%, while compound feeding stuffs declined by 5.5%.

Other key figures for input prices over this time-frame are: seeds up 7.9%; energy up 6.9% (electricity, motor fuels and lubricants all rising); plant protection products down 0.4%; veterinary expenses up 1.4%; maintenance of materials and buildings down 0.2%; and other goods and services up 0.6%.

Looking at the input indices in terms of the month-to-month changes from December 2019 to January 2020, they show a decrease in the index for fertilisers of 2.9%, and a very slight fall in the index for feeding stuffs of 0.1%.

From December to January, the index for seeds was unchanged, energy increased by 1.4%; plant protection products were unchanged; veterinary expenses increased 1.4%; maintenance of materials and buildings decreased by 0.1%; and other goods and services increased by 1.1%.