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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.

A line graph showing the farm income of cereal farms over time, compared to all farms.

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%

 

Contact

agric.stats@gov.scot

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