Dairygold announced this Wednesday that it had organised the importation of 2,500t of haylage and hay from the UK after failed attempts to source it around Ireland over the past 10 days showed the current shortage amounts to a "national crisis".

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Further shipments are due to land at the weekend and next week.

Dairygold will distribute the imported fodder through its branch network across its Munster catchment, charging the cost price at source in the UK. It has invited farmers experiencing difficulties to contact their area sales manager or milk adviser to avail of the supplies.

One of the worst winters on record for dairy farmers

"The heavy rain across the country over the Easter weekend compounded an already bad situation on the ground for dairy farmers following one of the worst winters on record," said Dairygold chair John O'Gorman.

“We have no doubt that this imported fodder is essential. Unfortunately, ground temperatures and grass growth remain well below normal for this time of year so at this point in time it’s difficult to know when dairy farmers will be in a position to return to grazing," he added.

O'Gorman described the haulage as "a very costly operation" and Dairygold is calling on the Department of Agriculture to repeat the support programme available for similar imports in 2013. Dairygold imported 10,000t of fodder from the UK and France at the time. Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has said on Tuesday that he is considering fodder imports.

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