Rising production costs making farming unsustainable in Northern Ireland

Business owners say that the rising cost of materials and inflationary pressures are a significant concern.

A survey of companies, by the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, has revealed that increasing prices are causing cash flow problems right across the economy.

Spiralling costs are also having an impact on the ability of companies to recover from the pandemic - from manufacturing to farming, no sector is immune.

The cost of running a farm is going through the roof and famers are struggling to keep up. As things stand many aren't seeing any financial return.

“It’s unbelievable, I don’t think anyone has ever seen anything like this,” Charlie Weir told UTV.

“Fertiliser is up from £200 to £900 a ton. The costs just far outstrip what we are getting paid for the milk.”

They say any price rises on the supermarket shelves need to be passed on to keep them sustainable.