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The battle with the weather continues with relentless rain bringing field work to a standstill. Farmers have been unable to carry out spring planting, fertiliser spreading and livestock turnout.
Rainfall is up by almost 50% year on year in parts of the country.
Slurry storage is a pressing issue for farmers as cattle remain housed, with many moving slurry from one tank to another. The mood among tillage farmers is low, with the window to plant spring crops closing with every passing day.
Silage is getting increasingly scarce among livestock farmers who are paying €40 to €45 for baled silage and €65/t for pit silage. Straw supply is very scarce on farms.
The IFA has called for a co-ordinated response to the issues facing farmers, while the ICMSA has demanded that a fodder support scheme be put in place.
The Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has convened an emergency meeting of the national fodder and food security committee.
The group is to meet on Friday to discuss the challenges and potential solutions.
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