Farming incomes in Switzerland fell slightly in 2022
The dip of 1.3% in 2022 marks the first time since 2015 that average incomes in the sector have fallen, a Swiss government report said on Friday.
Before the 2022 drop, average salaries in the sector had risen from 2015 by 32% to CHF 80,709 (CHF91,190), the government said.
However, there is also a wide disparity in incomes due to geographic and climatic conditions and to the training of farmers.
On average, well-trained farm managers earn significantly more than those with less training – their incomes have risen more in recent years.
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Income also depends on the form of farming, with some types of production more lucrative than others.
Finally, the size of the farm also counts, with larger farms generally generating higher incomes.
Lower salaries than in other sectors
On average, farmers earn CHF17 francs an hour, less than workers in the secondary and tertiary sectors. Earnings are also lower than in veterinary medicine, meat or milk processing, transport or catering.
In non-mountainous parts of the country, however, farmers earn more than in these occupations, with the exception of veterinary surgeons and agricultural machinery mechanics.
Farmers also earn income from non-agricultural activities. These account for around 31% of total income, which reached an average of CHF111,284 in 2021. In 2022, more than half of all women working in agriculture were also gainfully employed outside the profession.
Translated from French by DeepL/dos
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