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Swiss farm incomes in decline

Average agricultural revenues in Switzerland declined by nearly eight per cent in 2010 compared with the previous year.

Annual revenues per farm declined from SFr60,300 ($67,300) in 2009 to SFr55,600 in 2010, despite a 1.2 per cent increase in direct assistance payments, agricultural research centre Agroscope said in a statement.

The yearly income of individual farm workers also fell by 4.6 per cent to SFr39,300.

Agroscope said the decline in farm incomes was due mainly to drops in the prices of pork, milk, cereals and sugar beets.

A nearly 20 per cent reduction in interest calculated from farm capital also had a negative impact on revenues.

A reduction in fertiliser and fuel costs led to a 5.5 per cent decline in real operating costs, Agroscope said.

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR