Scottish farm business income: annual estimates 2015-2016

Farm business level estimates of average incomes for the accounting year 2015 to 2016, which relates to the 2015 crop year. For the most recent data, visit the Scottish farm business income (FBI) collection page below.

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4. Productivity (Output/ Input Ratio)

( Table 2)

The output to input ratio can be viewed as a measure of productivity, that is, how much output can be produced per unit of input. Figure 9 shows the differences in the relationship between revenues from outputs and spending on inputs which contribute to the differences in FBI. The overall average output to input ratio in 2015-16 was 1.08, meaning that for every £1 spent on inputs, Scottish farm businesses were generating £1.08 worth of outputs. The average for farms in the upper quartile (relatively high performers) was around £1.31, while for those in the lower quartile (relatively low performers) it was around £0.83; an average loss of £0.17 for every £1 spent.

Figure 9: Average output:input ratio by farm type and quartile (lowest 25 per cent, average and upper 25 per cent) for 2015-16

Figure 9: Average output:input ratio by farm type and quartile (lowest 25 per cent, average and upper 25 per cent) for 2015-16

It should be noted, however, that a higher output to input ratio does not necessarily lead to a higher FBI when comparing across farm types. FBI depends on both the ratio between and the absolute levels of outputs and inputs. For example, the upper quartile output:input ratio of specialist sheep ( LFA) farms, £1.51, was the highest of all farm types but the FBI upper quartile of specialist sheep ( LFA) farms, £42,700, was the third lowest of all farm types. This was due to the relatively low absolute value of outputs and inputs.

Contact

Email: agric.stats@gov.scot

Phone: 0300 244 4000 – Central Enquiry Unit

The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

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