Northern Ireland farm profits topped £1bn in 2025

The Northern Ireland farming industry concluded 2025 with record financial performance. According to industry data, real-term profits surged by 36%, breaking the £1 billion barrier for the first time. This profit figure is derived by assessing total output value alongside subsidies, then subtracting production and finance costs.

Total agricultural output increased by 12% to reach £3.6 billion, while input costs saw only a marginal rise to £2.2 billion. Economists highlight that farming profits remain inherently volatile, dictated by global market fluctuations and unpredictable weather conditions that impact production cycles across the region.

The most significant performance shift in 2025 occurred within the beef sector, where market prices climbed to record highs. Beef farmers reported a 37% increase in output value, totaling nearly £900 million, despite a slight decrease in the volume of beef produced. This trend aligns with wider UK and European patterns; farmers have been exiting the beef industry following years of low margins and increasing regulatory pressure, resulting in reduced supply that, coupled with steady consumer demand, pushed prices upward.

Alongside beef, the dairy and egg sectors showed robust growth, following a decade of intense consolidation and capital investment. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) projects that average farm-level profits are likely to increase by 19% in the 2025/26 period, rising from an average of £56,390 in 2024/25 to £66,840 for 2025/26.

However, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has cautioned that this peak performance is unlikely to be sustained throughout 2026. He noted that market prices for key commodities have dropped significantly this year while input costs continue to rise, creating an uncertain economic outlook. A notable statistic from 2025 is that less than 30% of total sector profit was derived from public subsidies. This is low by historical standards, as in leaner years, the industry has often relied on government support for the entirety or the majority of its annual profits.