The average price of goods and services used in agriculture and not related to investment – such as energy, fertilisers or feedingstuffs – also rose, albeit very slightly (0.2%). This was the first rise in the average price of agricultural inputs since the first quarter of 2023.
This information comes from data on agricultural price indices published by Eurostat.
Among key agricultural products, there were sharp price rises for milk (+12.6%), eggs (+10.7%) and cereals (+9.6%) compared with the first quarter of 2024. By contrast, there were sharp declines for olive oil (-43.5%), potatoes (-13.4%) and pigs (-11.2%).
Among inputs not related to investment, the largest increase was in veterinary expenses (+3.0%), with more moderate increases in fertilisers (+0.9%) and energy and lubricants (+0.7%).
Prices increased in most EU countries
Rises in agricultural output prices in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the same quarter of 2024 were widespread. Of the 23 EU countries that recorded price increases, the sharpest rates were in Ireland (+19.3%), Luxembourg (+15.6%) and Hungary (+14.6%).
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By contrast, prices fell in Spain (-9.7%), Greece (-7.1%), Portugal (-2.8%) and Malta ( 2.0%).
Regarding inputs not related to investment, 14 countries recorded increases in prices in the first quarter of 2025, compared with the first quarter of 2024. The sharpest rates of increase were recorded in Hungary (+6.8%), the Netherlands (+6.2%) and Romania (+5.8%).
By contrast, Lithuania (-5.0%), Cyprus (-3.8%) and Latvia (-3.6%) recorded the steepest rates of price decline.
