Significant Drop in Milk Prices Amidst Rising Costs in Agriculture

According to recent data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), milk prices experienced a substantial decline of 30.4% in the year leading up to December 2025. This sharp decrease contributed to a 4.9% drop in the agricultural output price index for December 2025 compared to the same month the previous year.

Sam Scriven, a senior statistician in the CSO Agriculture Division, highlighted that while milk prices fell, prices for cattle rose by 31.4% and poultry by 5.5% over the same period. Other significant price declines included pigs, cereals, and sheep, which saw reductions of 13.7%, 7.5%, and 7.4% respectively.

On a monthly basis, the output prices in December 2025 decreased by 3.9% from November 2025, driven primarily by a 6.8% fall in milk prices and a 3.2% drop in cattle prices. Despite these monthly declines, the annual output price index for 2025 was 14.2% higher than in 2024, largely due to a 40.6% increase in cattle prices.

In terms of agricultural inputs, the price index rose by 2.7% in December 2025 compared to December 2024. Fertiliser prices increased by 13.8%, while veterinary expenses and energy costs rose by 5% and 2% respectively. Conversely, the costs of feeding stuffs and seeds fell slightly.

Overall, the annual input price index for 2025 was marginally higher than that of 2024, with an increase of 0.6%. Fertiliser prices notably rose by 8.6%, while feeding stuffs and energy saw declines of 2.3% and 0.9% respectively.