EU27 real agricultural income per worker1 has increased by 12.3% in 2010, following a decrease of 10.7% in 2009, according to first estimates issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. This increase results from a rise in real agricultural income (+9.9%), together with a fall in agricultural labour input (-2.2%). These estimates for the EU27 are based on data supplied by the national authorities in the Member States.

Between 2005 and 2010, EU27 real agricultural income per worker is estimated to have increased by 10.0%, while agricultural labour input has fallen by 12.7%.

The increase in EU27 real agricultural income in 2010 is mainly the result of a rise in the value of agricultural output at producer prices in real terms (+4.3%), while input costs in real terms grew (+0.8%). The fall in the real value of subsidies net of taxes (-1.2%) and the slight rise in depreciation in real terms (+0.4%) have a marginal impact.

Real agricultural income per worker in 2010 is estimated to have risen in 21 Member States and to have fallen in six. The highest rises are expected in Denmark (+54.8%), Estonia (+48.8%), Ireland (+39.1%), the Netherlands (+32.0%), France (+31.4%), Latvia (+25.5%), Belgium (+24.1%), Bulgaria (+23.0%) and Germany (+22.8%), and the largest falls in Romania and the United Kingdom (both -8.2%), Greece (-4.3%) and Italy (-3.3%).

In 2010, the value of EU27 agricultural output at producer prices is estimated to have increased by 4.3%, mainly due to an increase in the value of both crop production (+6.3%) and animal production (+2.4%) in real terms.

In crop production, the increase in value is almost entirely due to a rise in prices (+8.9%), while the volume is expected to fall (-2.4%). Prices are rising for all groups of crops, except olive oil (-0.4%), most sharply for oil seeds (+27.1%), cereals (+22.5%), potatoes (+13.1%) and fresh vegetables (+9.0%). The volumes of most products are declining, in particular sugar beet (-6.8%), potatoes (-6.7%) and fruits (-4.0%). A rise in volume is seen only for olive oil (+17.0%), protein crops (+27.0%) and rice (+1.9%).

The increase in the value of animal production in 2010 is the result of an increase in both producer prices (+2.0%) and volume (+0.4%). Prices are rising for milk (+9.4%), sheep and goats (+7.0%) and cattle (+0.4%), while they are estimated to fall for pigs (-2.6%). The volume rose for milk production (+1.4%), remains at almost the same level for pigs (+0.1%) and slightly decreased for cattle (-0.8%).

EU27 agricultural input costs (intermediate consumption) are expected to rise by 0.8% in real terms, due to an increase in prices (+1.1%), while the volume fell (-0.4%). The rise in input prices is driven by increases for energy and lubricants (+6.7%), feeding stuff (+3.2%) and maintenance of buildings (+3.3%). Lower input volumes are estimated for plant protection products (-5.4%) and maintenance of buildings (-2.5%).