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Grain merchants, co-ops and compound feed mills have been called on not to follow the Glanbia lead on price by IFA grain chair Mark Browne.
Browne said Glanbia’s price was not acceptable and could not set the trend for the 2019 harvest.
“Farmers are furious over the recent grain price release from Glanbia and are refusing to accept it. The trade cannot follow Glanbia’s lead by paying a grain price which does not even meet production costs and leaves farmers operating at a loss.”
Browne said there was scope in the market to pay higher prices as other merchants had committed to “more sustainable prices”. The IFA has sought a meeting with Glanbia to address the issue.
“Preliminary CSO figures indicate a further decline in tillage area this season with confidence now at a low ebb. Following years of poor returns, the Irish tillage sector is now at tipping point.
"This recent move by Glanbia is another hammer blow to the sector which will only compound the lack of confidence in the sector,” Browne concluded.
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