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With harvesting getting under way, prices for winter barley straw are starting to emerge.
Quality and yields of straw are so far reported to be good.
In Munster, where combining is starting first, growers are offering winter barley straw at up to €20 for 4x4 round bales.
Interest from local dairy farmers and from Northern Ireland straw traders is good.
Regular customers
Kilkenny grower James O’Reilly was expecting to finish cutting his winter barley on Monday evening.
The crop has done well, with 3.8t/ac to 4.2t/ac of grain and 2t/ac to 2.5t/ac of straw.
“Straw quality is lovely with very good colour,” he said. “I’m selling it at €120/t delivered, mostly to regular customers.”
“That’s roughly the same as I charged last year,” the Ballyragget farmer said.
“It’s equivalent to €18 to €20 for 4x4 round bales or about €60 for 8ftx4ftx4ft squares.
"Virtually all of my straw is booked. I hope to buy another 200ac or 250ac of good straw for my customers. There’s always demand for good, dry straw.”
Cork straw
Co Cork grower Rob Coleman is cutting since Friday and, with rain coming, reckoned he has another week and a half to go. He hasn’t sold straw yet.
“People are talking about €20 per bale, but I haven’t done any deals yet.
"I’ve had plenty of enquiries from my regular customers, but I’m waiting to see where the market settles. Next week will tell a lot.”
“Straw has been undervalued for years at €12 and €14 per bale,” the Castlemagner farmer said.
“It deserves a re-evaluation. It mightn’t go for the high levels of last year when it made €25 a bale, but maybe somewhere in the middle.
"This is a low-margin business and straw is a very small part of a winter feeding budget.”
Laois straw
Co Laois grower Colm Fingleton expects to be cutting within the week.
“The general price in this area is €20 for 4x4 rounds.
"What I see different this year is that customers are booking straw in advance to secure supplies. They don’t want to be worrying about it later.”
He sells some straw straight from the field, but will, as usual, store a lot of it too for later sale.
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