EU farmers face falling produce prices as fuel and fertiliser costs rise
Eurostat figures show a widening gap between the prices farmers receive and those they pay, as EU ministers discuss support and farming groups demand help.
EU farmers experienced a decline in average product prices during the second quarter of 2026, while the costs of agricultural supplies surged, according to Eurostat data. Agricultural output prices dropped by 5.8% compared to the same period in 2025, marking the third consecutive quarter of decline. Simultaneously, average prices for goods and services consumed in agriculture, including energy, fertilizers, and animal feed, rose by 4.7%.
Agriculture ministers, who convened on September 28th, emphasized the impact of high production costs, particularly for fertilizers and energy, and the effect on farmers' profit margins.
Milk prices witnessed a significant decline, with farmers receiving 16.6% less than a year earlier, while cereal prices fell by 5.6%. Conversely, energy and lubricant prices increased by 22%, and fertilizers and soil improvers became 13.4% more expensive. In 20 EU countries, average agricultural output prices decreased, with Denmark experiencing the most substantial decline at 17.2%, followed by Ireland at 16.2%.
Input prices rose in every member state, with Lithuania and Romania facing the steepest increases at 16.4% and 11.7%, respectively. These country comparisons were made for the second quarter of 2026 versus the same quarter in 2025.
Farming groups have expressed outrage over escalating fuel prices, with Spanish farmers calling for immediate aid during a meeting with agriculture minister Luis Planas on September 22nd. They warned of potential protests if the government does not intervene. In France, record fuel prices have led to demonstrations by farmers and blockades by fishermen, prompting the government to expand targeted fuel relief measures.
On July 17th, the European Commission announced a €540 million allocation to compensate farmers most affected by economic losses due to higher fertiliser and energy costs stemming from the Middle East crisis, with France receiving approximately €107.1 million and Spain €50.2 million. National authorities are tasked with determining how to distribute the funding to the farmers and sectors most impacted.
Additionally, ministers discussed longer-term measures under the Commission's fertiliser action plan on September 28th, a plan published in May aimed at enhancing fertiliser affordability and availability and bolstering the EU's domestic supply resilience.
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