Farming economy is hit hard as agricultural crime goes up in Northern Ireland

As farmers battle the cost-of-living crisis, new data shows a rising number of agricultural crimes across Northern Ireland.

The latest police data analysed by CompareNI.com show that in the 12 months from April 1 2022 to March 31 2023 there were 237 agricultural crimes recorded in Northern Ireland, an increase of 41 on the previous 12 months.

Burglary and robbery represented 28% of agricultural crime in Northern Ireland, while theft represented 72%.

The highest level of agriculture crime was seen in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (41), followed by Newry, Mourne and Down (39), Mid and East Antrim (31) and Causeway Coast and Glens (23).

Not surprisingly, Belfast had the lowest level of agricultural crime with no recorded incidents, followed by Ards and North Down (3) and Lisburn and Castlereagh (9).

Five of the policing districts showed an increase in levels of agricultural crime. Antrim & Newtownabbey had the greatest increase (19), followed by Mid and East Antrim (15), Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (9), Causeway Coast and Glens (7) and Lisburn and Castlereagh Lisburn & Castlereagh City (1).

Mid Ulster had the greatest decrease (-6).

The estimated bill for rural theft in 2022 was £40.5m – targeting expensive equipment, vehicles and livestock.** Even fuel has become a target, as the cost of red diesel is almost double the previous year.

Farmers also must contend with a surge in prices right across essential elements of farming such as electricity, fertiliser, water, animal feed and veterinary bills – making additional costs due to theft, disastrous.

Research by the farm insurance comparison site, CompareNI.com, reveals agricultural equipment is vulnerable to theft. Less than half of those sampled, 41%, keep their items in a locked garage or barn overnight.

The research, based on a sample of over 6,000 farm vehicle insurance policies, also found that nearly 20% of farmers don’t lock their garages or barns, and 15% of vehicles are left out on unsecure driveways.

Responding to the findings, Ian Wilson, managing director of CompareNI.com, said: “Agriculture is an integral part of the NI economy, bolstering employment and providing vital food supplies.

“It’s disappointing to see agricultural crime rates are on the rise after the pandemic. I think many would assume that due to the rural location of farms and the size and complexity of the machinery in question that theft would be unlikely, but it appears farms continue to be a target for specialist thieves.

“That’s one of the reasons why an insurance policy is so important. It not only protects farmers’ valuable assets and provides financial security – it also supports their livelihood. That’s why we’re extending our range of farm insurance products, customers will now be able to compare farm insurance as well as farm vehicle insurance – giving them the tools to compare products and save as much as possible.

“Additional security measures are obviously ideal to help keep the farm safe, but they can also save money, keeping vehicles in a locked barn or garage and off the driveway can bring the insurance premium down significantly, so well worth investigating.”

CompareNI.com has helped over 650,000 people find savings on household bills and essentials, including bespoke items such as farm vehicle insurance, farmers market insurance and farm insurance.

Farm insurance is a type of insurance policy that bundles together a wide range of different coverage options to ensure specific cover to protect each individual farm or smallholding - including livestock, farmhouse, outbuildings, farm equipment and farm vehicle insurance.