Dairygold confirms 2024 harvest prices

Dairygold has confirmed its 2024 harvest cereal prices, as this year’s harvest nears completion.

It has set a €208/t price for barley, a €218/t price for wheat and a €202/t price for oats, all excluding VAT at 20% moisture.

Dairygold's contract malting barley price has been set at €258/t, excluding VAT, at 20% also.

Dairygold has received over 100,000t of Irish cereals from its growers, whom, it said, have delivered against a backdrop of particularly challenging weather conditions when planting, a difficult growing season, and an equally challenging harvest.

Globally, grain market prices have fluctuated throughout 2024, according to Dairygold.

Dairygold has said it continues to be committed to maximising the use of native Irish cereals across its range of feeds and continues to explore opportunities to include more native grains in formulations.

The inclusion of locally sourced, high-quality, sustainably produced cereals are a key part of the equation to deliver the highest-quality feeds to customers, it said.

Beans

Dairygold saw a strong supply of beans from its growers this year, which it said was underpinned by Dairygold offering a minimum contract price earlier in the year.

Dairygold continues to grow its percentage of premium grain products, delivering value and extra returns to members through its contracts for the brewing, distilling and feed sectors.

These initiatives, Dairygold said, offer security for the long-term sustainability of the tillage sector.

Dairygold’s agri business general manager Liam O’Flaherty said: “Despite the difficult conditions, the 2024 harvest was successfully completed and we commend all of our growers for providing the highest-quality grain to Dairygold.

"Quality Irish cereals play a crucial role in our feed rations. At Dairygold, we pride ourselves in the use of native grains and by building our own supply of cereals, it enables us to ensure that only the highest-quality grains are used in our feed business. In line with this commitment, we will continue to offer a competitive price for our members' grain."

Commenting on the 2024 grain prices, Dairygold chair Seán O’Brien said that tillage growers play a significant role in the success of the Dairygold business.

"We are committed to supporting and advancing this sector of our business into the future to ensure that success continues.

"The recent announcement of our plan to invest in the Malting Company of Ireland demonstrates this commitment and will further enhance our level of value added contracts that Dairygold can offer, increasing malting barley requirements by approximately 12,500 tonnes per annum, once the expansion is complete," he said.