THE majority of Welsh farmers are set to lower production next year according to a recent poll.

The poll held by NFU Cymru asked 700 of its members across Wales about the state of their current affairs.

The poll found 71 per cent of Welsh farmers intend to reduce production next year. 54 per cent of beef farmers will be reducing stock numbers in the next 12 months, averaging out at an estimated 10 per cent cut in cattle numbers. In the sheep sector, 46 per cent of farmers will be reducing their flock with an estimated average 7 per cent reduction in stock numbers.

Furthermore, over the next year, 40 per cent of dairy farmers said they would be reducing milk production, 39 per cent of arable farmers said their crop production levels would be reduced and 21 per cent of poultry producers said they would be reducing bird numbers.

Nearly 80 per cent of the farmers that were polled cited the massive increase in costs that as to why they needed to reduce production. The price of key commodities such as feed, fuel and fertiliser have all spiralled this year due to global supply issues many made worse by the conflict in Ukraine.

Just over half cited a reduction in returns, while over 40 per cent cited the impact of Welsh Government’s Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulations and other government regulation.

NFU Cymru have called on the Welsh Government “to ensure that future policy does not constrain farmers’ productive capabilities and inhibit Wales’ vital role in contributing to domestic and global food security”.

NFU Cymru president Aled Jones said: “Welsh farmers are passionate about feeding the nation healthy, nutritious and affordable climate friendly food. For many months we have been hearing the struggles that our members are facing with rising costs at the farm gate, however seeing those collective intentions in the results of this survey paints a worrying picture on the effect this is going to have on Wales’ food producing capacity.

“Given the concerns around food security across the globe, the findings of this survey show that doing nothing is simply not an option. As a nation we cannot see our capacity to produce food compromised. We are at a critical crossroad and we ignore the impact these pressures are having on food production at our peril.”