New statistics show Ireland recorded one of the "sharpest" rises in agricultural output prices in the first quarter of the year across the EU.

According to latest figures from Eurostat the average price of agricultural output in the EU rose by 2.6% - which represented the second consecutive quarter of price increases.

Eurostat's latest research shows there were "sharp price rises for milk" - which increased by 12.6% and eggs which rose by 10.7%.

Cereals also enjoyed a price increase of 9.6% compared with the first quarter of 2024.

However in contrast there was major fall in output prices for olive oil - which slumped by 43.5% and potatoes, which slumped by 13.4% and pigs where prices fell by 11.2%.

In general according to the latest Eurostat report rises in agricultural output prices in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the same quarter of 2024 "were widespread".

Out of the 23 EU countries that recorded agricultural output price increases, the sharpest rates were in Ireland, where they soared by 19.3%, Luxembourg, by 15.6% and Hungary by 14.6%. 

Separately the latest report from Eurostat also shows that the average price of goods and services used in agriculture and not related to investment - such as energy, fertilisers or feedingstuffs - also rose very slightly by 0.2%.

This represented the first rise in the average price of agricultural inputs since the first quarter of 2023. 

The largest price increase was reported in veterinary expenses, up by 3.0%, with more moderate increases in fertilisers - up by 0.9% and energy and lubricants which rose by 0.7%.

Eurostat also analysed inputs "not related to investment" and found that 14 countries recorded price increases in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period a year earlier.

The sharpest rates of increase were noted in Hungary (6.8%), the Netherlands (6.2%) and Romania (5.8%)