Scottish farm business income: annual estimates 2024-2025
Farm business level estimates of average incomes for 2024-2025. An Accredited Official Statistics publication for Scotland.
First published: 26 March 2026.
Cereal farm income falls for second year
Cereal farm average income is £28,600 for the year 2024-25, a decrease of 28% (£10,900) from the previous year’s income of £39,500.
Figure 2: Average farm business income, cereal and all farms, 2012-13 to 2024-25. 2024-25 prices.
Agricultural output decreased by 14% (£34,100) to £213,500. This was largely caused by lower barley and wheat output. Average barley output decreased by 27% (£23,900) while average wheat output decreased by 15% (£9,900). These decreases were primarily driven by lower wheat and barley production and sales compared to the previous year. Prices for wheat and malting barley were also subdued in 2024-25, contributing to falls in cereal output.
Input costs decreased by 11% (£30,400) to £259,100, driven by a 41% (£25,200) decrease in fertiliser costs. Fertiliser prices fell in 2024 from a record high market price in 2023.
Cereal farms tend to make more money than livestock farm types, but experience fluctuations in income over time.
Table 2: Farm business income (FBI) and contributions to FBI, cereal, 2023-24 and 2024-25. 2024-25 prices. Figures are rounded to the nearest £100 and percentage change is calculated from unrounded figures.
|
Measure |
2023-24 |
2024-25 |
Percentage change |
|
1 Total output (£) = a + b |
276,000 |
238,800 |
-13% |
|
a Agricultural output (£) |
247,600 |
213,500 |
-14% |
|
b Contracting output (£) |
28,400 |
25,300 |
-11% |
|
2 Support payments income (£) = c - d |
35,800 |
31,900 |
-11% |
|
c Payment schemes (£) |
36,000 |
32,000 |
-11% |
|
d Payment scheme costs (£) |
200 |
100 |
-59% |
|
3 Total input (£) = e + f |
289,500 |
259,100 |
-11% |
|
e Agricultural input (£) |
277,000 |
246,500 |
-11% |
|
f Contracting input (£) |
12,600 |
12,600 |
0% |
|
4 Diversification income (£) = g - h |
17,200 |
17,000 |
-1% |
|
g Diversification output (£) |
27,100 |
29,300 |
8% |
|
h Diversification input (£) |
9,800 |
12,300 |
25% |
|
5 FBI (£) = 1 + 2 + 4 - 3 |
39,500 |
28,600 |
-28% |
|
6 Agricultural income = a - e |
-29,400 |
-33,100 |
13% |
|
7 Contracting income = b-f |
15,800 |
12,700 |
-19% |