Falling crop prices cost farmers £20m

LOW crop prices contributed to a £20 million drop in farm income across Scotland, according to official estimates yesterday.

The value of wheat, barley, potatoes and oilseed rape all fell, wiping out a rise in the livestock sector. It represents a 3 per cent overall fall to 589m in the past year.

But income has doubled since 1998, recovering to 60 per cent of peak prices of 1995 – just before the impact of BSE and foot-and-mouth disease.

The figures were disclosed in the Scottish Farm Income Estimates, which published trends from 1973 to 2009.

Scott Walker, policy director of the National Farmers' Union in Scotland, said: "The crash in cereals and milk prices has meant the overall income has fallen for a second year."