The factor income per worker fell by 21.5 percent in real terms in 2023 compared to the previous year, Statistics Austria announced on Friday. This is mainly due to a decline in grain prices, less public money and increased depreciation. The Chamber of Agriculture speaks of a “difficult situation” for companies.
According to statisticians, the total production value of Austrian agriculture remained at a high level of around 10.2 billion euros, but was nominally 2.9 percent below the previous year’s result. While crop production recorded a loss in value compared to 2022 (minus 13.2 percent), the value of animal production increased (plus 5.1 percent).
The development varied depending on the production sector: for grain and oilseeds, for example, the price level fell compared to the previous year, which resulted in a collapse in production values. Due to lower prices, the production values of sugar beet and fodder crops also fell. Due to crop failures, there was also a decline in fruit production, which, according to information, could not be compensated for by price increases.
The volume of pig production shrank
For vegetables, potatoes and wine, however, producer prices increased – i.e. the prices that producers can charge for their goods – and thus also production values. The volume of pig production continued to shrink last year. However, due to sharp price increases, a significant increase in production value was achieved.
The data is based on the national agricultural accounts (EAA), so it is a macroeconomic calculation. With regard to income, they show the average development, which includes various subsidies, among other things. Statistics Austria points out that the income development for individual regions or individual types of businesses can “deviate significantly”. In general, agricultural incomes are subject to strong fluctuations over the long term. L
“The loss in income for 2023 shows the difficult situation of our family farmers, who have to struggle every year for an adequate income. While costs remained high last year, producer prices fell massively again,” commented the President of the Chamber of Agriculture (LKÖ ), Josef Moosbrugger, the results in a broadcast. He demanded that the EU adjust funding for inflation and that agricultural businesses should also receive a higher share of added value on the markets.
