Lower agricultural income despite higher production
The agricultural income is calculated based on production and the costs for consumption of goods, services, and fixed assets, and the balance between received subsidies and paid taxes.
In 2025, the value of agricultural production is 42.1 billion euros, 763 million more than a year earlier. The intermediate consumption increases by 410 million euros. These are the costs of goods and services needed for production, such as seeds, energy, and services. Depreciation on fixed assets such as buildings and machines is 358 million higher.
Finally, the balance of subsidies and taxes is 47 million euros lower. Because costs increase more than the value of production, agricultural income decreases by 52 million euros in 2025, or 0.5 percent.
Animal production declines again
The volume of animal production, such as milk and meat, continues to decline in 2025 (-4.0 percent), while the average sales price rises by 9.2 percent. As a result, the value of animal production increases by 4.7 percent.
The raw milk price already rose in 2024 and is 10 percent higher again in 2025. Milk production increases by 1.3 percent. The production value of milk, which accounts for more than half of the production value of livestock farming, rises to nearly 8.3 billion euros.
Production value of livestock decreases again
Nearly 13 percent fewer cattle were slaughtered than a year earlier. In previous years, more cattle were slaughtered each year. Because the supply of pigs and poultry to slaughterhouses continues to decline, the volume of livestock production is lower. The price increase of cattle does not compensate for this, so the production value of livestock decreases again.
Because the pig population in other EU countries is increasing, pig prices continue to fall despite lower production in the Netherlands.
Production value of plant sector declines despite higher production
The volume of plant production increases by 4.4 percent in 2025, while production declined in previous years. The increase in 2025 is partly due to more potatoes, grain, and vegetables being harvested, and good harvests lead to supply surpluses. As a result, average sales prices fall by 5.0 percent. Overall, the total production value decreases by 0.8 percent to 20.1 billion euros.
There are 9.7 percent more fresh vegetables harvested. This is accompanied by a price decrease (-5.9 percent), resulting in a 3.2 percent increase in production value. The production value of ornamental horticulture also increases, while it declined in recent years.
Price decreases for potatoes, sugar beets, and fodder crops cause the production value to be lower despite a larger harvest.
Agricultural income per labor year increased
In 2025, the number of full-time equivalents (FTE) in the agricultural sector, the labor volume, decreases by 1.4 percent. As a result, agricultural income per labor year increases by 1.0 percent. When accounting for price changes, this is a decrease of 2.3 percent.