- Total income from farming is forecast to be down in current
terms by about 28 percent to £363m in 1997. In real terms it has fallen to about the
level seen in 1993 and remains above those of the late 1980s and early 1990s. (Table 9A1)
Direct subsidies paid to Scottish farmers rose by around
£8.5m to £480 in 1997. This figure does not appear as a separate item in Table 9A1 as it
is composed of various elements under each commodity. (Table 9A1)
The extremely poor cereal harvest in 1997 resulted in lower
yields, lower quality and lower prices. (Table 9A3, 9A4
and 9A5)
The total number of sheep increased for the first time since
1991, rising by two per cent to 9.563 million. (Table 9A8)
In 1997 prices for livestock and livestock products were
down across virtually all items. (Table
9A9)
The total area of cereals rose by 6 per cent to 477,500
hectares, due to a six per cent rise in barley and a four and a half per cent rise in
wheat area. (Table 9A13)
Net losses to agricultural land reached a 10 year peak at
nearly 24,000 hectares, with 84 per cent of this area going over to forestry. (Table 9A16)
In 1996, Scotland accounted for two thirds of all landings
by UK vessels. (Table 9B4)
Domestic consumption of pulpwood in the pulp/paper industry
increased by 18% from 1992 to 1997. (Table 9C4)
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