- an increase in output of agriculture at producer prices in real terms (+4.3%);
- a steep rise in input costs in real terms (+10.8%);
- a decrease in the real value of subsidies net of taxes (-1.5%);
- a rise in depreciation in real terms (+2.4%).
These estimates for the EU27 are based on data supplied by the national authorities in the Member States. Large fluctuations in prices during 2008 may impact on the precision of the estimates.
The strongest rises in real agricultural income per worker are estimated for Bulgaria (+24.5%), Romania (+21.4%), and Hungary (+14.6%). The largest declines in 2008 are expected in Belgium (-25.6%), Estonia (-22.1%) and Latvia (-17.5%).
In 2008, the value of EU27 agricultural output at producer prices is estimated to have grown by 4.3%, mainly due to an increase in the value of both crop production (+3.0%) and animal production (+6.3%) in real terms.
In crop production, the rise in output volume (+6.2%) was partly counterbalanced by a decline in producer prices (-3.0%). Significant rises in the volume of cereals (+20.5%) and oil seeds (+10.0%) were due to both an increase in crop area and high yields in most Member States. The volume of sugar beet (-14.8%) declined, while production of vegetables and fruits remained at the same level as in 2007. The highest increases in crop prices are estimated for oil seeds (+11.3%) and fruits (+5.4%). On the other hand, prices for cereals (-10.3%) and potatoes (-9.4%) fell sharply.
The significant increase in the value of animal production in 2008 was the result of nearly stable output volumes (+0.2%) and a clear increase in producer prices (+6.1%). The increase in the value of pig production (+8.5%) was driven by a rise in prices (+9.3%), while volume fell slightly (-0.7%). The value of milk production increased (+8.8%), due to a combination of a sharp rise in price (+8.1%) and a small rise in volume (+0.7%).
EU27 agricultural input costs (intermediate consumption) were up by 10.8% in real terms, mainly owing to the sharp increases in fertilizers (+52.8%), energy (+13.6%) and feeding stuff (+10.8%). These estimated rises in value were mostly affected by higher prices, while volume only grew slightly (+1.5%). The prices of feeding stuff are normally strongly linked to cereal prices, but as the decline in cereal prices occurred late in 2008, the impact on the annual prices of feed was low.
Between 2000 and 2008, EU27 real income per worker is estimated to have increased by 17.2%. In the EU15 the rise was 3.8%, while in the 12 new Member States it was 73.7%. On average, agricultural labour input in the EU27 has fallen by 24.5% since 2000, and by 29.6% in the new Member States.
