Farmers experienced increased costs for fertiliser and electricity over the past year, new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.

In the 12 months to October 2025, the agricultural input price index rose by 3.3%.

The largest change in input prices when compared with October 2024 was for fertilisers, at 14.9%.

Veterinary expenses increased by 4.7% and electricity by 3.7%.

Motor fuel increased by 1.4% and feed by 0.6%.

Output prices

The agricultural output price index increased by 4.3% in the year to October 2025.

The most significant output price changes in the 12 months to October 2025 were in cattle, up 47.3%, and milk, down 20%.

Overall crop output prices were down 9.1% in the year. Potatoes dropped by 21%, and cereals by 9.1%.

Pig prices dropped by 11.2% in the year, while poultry increased by 5% and sheep by 2.6%.

Prices for wool jumped by 31.9% and egg prices increased by 4.2%.

Monthly change

Terms of trade fell by 2.4% in October 2025 when compared with the previous month and was 0.9% higher when compared with October 2024.

Sam Scriven, senior statistician in the CSO agriculture division, said: "In October 2025, the agricultural output price index fell by 2.5% compared with the previous month, driven by a fall in the price of milk (7.3%) compared with September 2025.

"Over the same period the agricultural input price index remained unchanged.

"Compared with October 2024, the output price index increased by 4.3% while the input price index rose by 3.3%."