UK farm motor and machinery fuels expenditure
UK farm motor and machinery fuels expenditure stood at £1,046.58m in 2025, according to GOV.UK official statistics. It is one of the indicators in the Farm income and yields table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1973 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Farm income and yields table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total intermediate consumption | 21,624.43 | 21,293.54 | 21,999.39 | 21,719.25 | 18,613.02 | 16,939.16 | 17,264.94 | 17,117.51 | 15,919.91 | 15,009.62 | |
| Energy | 1,858.33 | 1,898.94 | 1,938.95 | 1,950.8 | 1,451.17 | 1,240.09 | 1,378.54 | 1,361.63 | 1,228.03 | 1,131.77 | |
| Motor and machinery fuels | 1,046.58 | 1,088.25 | 1,156.07 | 1,266.23 | 922.96 | 785.66 | 923.06 | 923.96 | 825 | 771.22 |
Understanding UK farm motor and machinery fuels expenditure
Purchased petroleum and liquid fuel volumes consumed by tractors, combine harvesters, and on-farm stationary engines across the United Kingdom are monetised in this series to track intermediate energy costs. The calculation covers diesel and petrol quantities utilised directly within agricultural production cycles, while excluding fuels allocated to domestic households, non-farming commercial enterprises, or road transport vehicles operating primarily off the holding. Within the broader energy consumption breakdown, this row isolates liquid propulsion and motive power expenses from fixed electricity and gas utility outlays, providing a targeted metric for mechanised field operations.
Interpreting annual movements requires accounting for global crude oil price volatility and shifting seasonal field activity driven by weather conditions during planting and harvesting windows. Early provisional estimates often rely on preliminary trade data and partial fuel survey returns, which are subsequently adjusted as more detailed administrative records become available. Analysts should avoid direct period-on-period comparisons with broader macroeconomic energy price indices, because agricultural machinery fuel demand reflects specific cropping cycles and tillage intensities rather than general industrial energy consumption patterns.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of fuel expenses are captured under this motor and machinery heading?
- The figures measure outlays on diesel and petrol purchased exclusively for tractors, combines, and self-propelled agricultural machinery operating within the United Kingdom.
- Are domestic household fuel bills included in these machinery fuel totals?
- No, residential heating oil and domestic vehicle fuel are strictly excluded from agricultural production cost accounts.
- Why do early estimates of fuel expenditure frequently change in subsequent publications?
- Initial figures depend on provisional wholesale price models and incomplete sample returns before final agricultural census inputs are fully processed.