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As much as 10% of the 2017 straw crop has been lost, Teagasc estimates.
The resulting tightening of supply has seen straw prices double in some areas, the latest Teagasc crop report newsletter confirms.
It quotes on-the-ledge prices for straw of €205/ha for spring barley, €10/ 4x4 round bale before baling costs are taken into account for the typical eight bale per acre crop this year.
In better news, record spring barley yields were achieved this harvest, with crops averaging 7.7t/ha. The higher yields contributed to a higher overall harvest yield.
Total grain tonnage across all crops was 2.3m tonne, up by 0.12 on 2016.
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