HC Deb 24 January 1984 vol 52 cc543-4W
Mrs. Dunwoody

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will print a table in the Official Report showing the average highest and lowest incomes of dairy farmers and the average, highest and lowest profits of dairy farmers in each since 1972.

Mr. MacGregor

Information is not available in the form requested. Average net farm income per full-time dairy farm obtained from samples of farm accounts in the farm management survey for England is as follows:

Average Net Farm Income on Full-time Dairy Farms. £ per form. England 1971–72 to 1981–82
Years ending February Old Series
1971–72 3,662
1972–73 3,743
1972–73 4,915
1973–74 4,938
1973–74 4,999
1974–75 4,213
1974–75 4,274
1975–76 6,754
1975–76 6,842
1976–77 7,096
1976–77 7,289
1977–78 8,988
New Series
1977–78 7,614
1978–79 8,774
1978–79 9,199
1979–80 7,090
1979–80 7,344

Years ending February Old Series
1980–81 8,401
1980–81 8,288
1981–82 10,691

Notes:

  1. (a) Net farm income comprises total farm output less total inputs including charges for unpaid labour other than that of fanner and spouse and for rental value of owner occupied land. It is calculated before deduction of interest and excludes breeding livestock stock appreciation. Full-time dairy farms are specialist and mainly dairy farms of four to 249.9 European size units. Results are calculated from identical samples for pairs of years but comparisons of absolute levels over longer periods are affected by changes in the samples.
  2. (b) There is a break in series in 1977–78 due to a change in farm classification and a change in the depreciation calculation from historic to current cost.

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