International grain markets took a downturn this week. For example, the French wheat price for December closed last Friday 22 November at €219/t and on Wednesday morning was at €215.50/t.

The March price fell from €231/t last Friday to €224.75/t on Wednesday morning.

Maize prices dropped similarly and oilseed rape also took a dip.

There does not look to be much export demand for EU wheat, while wheat from the Black Sea region remains competitive.

European report

The European Commission released its Crop Monitoring in Europe report for November this week.

It was reported that average to above-average temperatures and drier-than-usual conditions helped with sowing, harvesting and crop development.

The report stated that the delay in winter cereal sowing in France has been recovered due to dry conditions since late October.

Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Baltic countries are reported to have completed sowing.

Crops were reported to be in good conditions in Germany and Poland, while cold weather in Hungary and Romania was reported to slow down crop development.

Heavy rainfall in Spain and Portugal has delayed the sowing of winter cereals.

Rapeseed crops in France were sitting in persistently wet conditions up to the middle of October and were “adversely affected”, according to the report.

Well-developed crops in Germany and Poland may be susceptible to frost damage.

Native prices

The spot price for dry barley remained the same at €220/t to €225/t, while the spot price for dry wheat climbed about €5/t to €240/t to €245/t.

Maize being imported into the country remained stable at €235/t.

On Friday 22 November, Dairygold offered suppliers prices of €205/t for green feed wheat, €195/t for green feed barley and €420/t for green oilseed rape for harvest 2024.

Grain prices

Some farmers have been sending in grain payment dockets so the Irish Farmers Journal can verify what grain prices were paid by different co-ops and merchants for harvest 2024.

These dockets will be confidential and used only to confirm the price paid.

You can email the information to tillagenews@farmersjournal.ie or swalsh@farmersjournal.ie.

If you cannot send the receipt then we will, then send the base price, moisture and quality bonuses and transport details.