• livestock prices increase
• UK farmgate milk price set to increase
• national pig herd declines
• food price inflation falls
• new information about on-farm computer usage

Earlier farming and food briefs can be found here. Other food and farming statistics can be found here.

International commodity markets remain stable.

Emerging anecdotal evidence suggests increased demand for British meat following horse meat contamination.

Food price inflation continues to rise. 

Defra research released this month on the economic performance of dairy farms finds a high level of variation in efficiencies across farms.

Defra has also published detailed evidence to support the Campaign for the Farmed Environment. Whilst not all of the formal targets have been met, there is good evidence of the positive impact of the Campaign.

Earlier farming and food briefs can be found here. Other food and farming statistics can be found here.

Average Farm Business Income is expected to fall across most farm types (with the exception of poultry, where income is unchanged) in 2012/13 as the effect of the poor growing season and harvest is felt across both the cropping and livestock sectors. The falls forecast are substantial for dairy (42 per cent), lowland livestock (44 per cent), LFA livestock (52 per cent) and specialist pigs (50 per cent). Global values for maize, wheat and soya increased sharply in the early summer of 2012 in response to the US drought. Grain and oilseed markets in the UK followed suit and since harvest have remained firm. This has offset to some extent the impact of the poor weather on arable incomes which are expected to fall by around 11 per cent.

The farmgate milk price has remained at a record high in December 2012 at 30.08 pence per litre; this is a 3 per cent rise on December 2011. Despite the usual seasonal increase, the provisional volume of wholesale milk delivered to dairies was 5.6 per cent down on last year, as poor grazing conditions and high feed prices continue to affect supplies. Milk production is at its lowest level for 9 years.

The annual rate of food price inflation fell slightly to 3.8 per cent in December and is well above general CPI inflation which has remained at 2.7 per cent for three consecutive months.

Earlier farming and food briefs can be found here. Other food and farming statistics can be found here.

The latest figures for 2000 to 2011 can be down loaded here.

The latest statistics notice provides a provisonal estimate of Farm Business income for 2012/13 and can be downloaded here.

Farm accounts in England 2011/2012 was published on 18th December 2012

Total factor productivity of the UK agricultural industry 2011, 2nd estimate can be downloaded here.

Family Food 2011 can be found here.

Prices in World grain markets remained largely stable over the past four months following the large increases in June and July.

The UK farmgate milk price increased by 5.6 per cent in October and is now in line with the 2011 monthly equivalent. UK milk production fell again in October and was 6.5 per cent lower than the same time last year.

The AHDB/Potato Council have released their provisional estimate of GB potato supply for 2012 which is estimated at 4.56 million tonnes, down 25 per cent from 2011 and the lowest GB production since 1976. Consequently prices are approximately double those seen at the same time last year.

Earlier farming and food briefs can be found here. Other food and farming statistics can be found here.