Uwarunkowania zróżnicowania dochodów rolniczych w Unii Europejskiej

This paper aims at presenting factors contributing to agricultural income level differentiation in the EU. Statistical data provided by the European Commission and French agricultural chambers was used. The importance issue of cost structure for agricultural profitability was discussed. Certain UE member states have a high share of land lease, bank loan interest payments or farm worker remuneration in their cost structures. The significance of the definitional difference between agricultural income and the income of farmers was emphasized. Taking into account income from non-agricultural sources leads to a lower differentiation of farmer income. One of the principal determinants of income differentiation is varying farm structures across member states. Finally, the impact of the construction of the agricultural support system on income differentiation should not be neglected