The Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) is recommending contractors quote an average of a 4pc increase in charges this year. It says the price hike is needed to meet some of the increases in costs of machinery, insurance and labour costs that have been experienced by FCI members, since the beginning of 2020. FCI said the increasing costs of new machinery for Farm & Forestry Contractors is impacting on the sustainability of many agricultural contracting businesses. It also said further machinery cost increases in 2021 due to worldwide raw materials and component shortages, induced by the Covid-19 virus, are driving up machinery purchasing and ownership costs for Irish Farm & Forestry Contractors.