The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has called on all Irish grain merchants to match the prices paid by co-operatives for green feed wheat and barley.It comes as larger co-operatives are offering up to €210/t for barley, but some grain merchants have outlined their intention to pay prices significantly below these levels.
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has called on all Irish grain merchants to match the prices paid by co-operatives for green feed wheat and barley.
It comes as larger co-operatives are offering up to €210/t for barley, but some grain merchants have outlined their intention to pay prices significantly below these levels.
IFA national grain chair Kieran McEvoy voiced his concern, saying that this is not acceptable.
“These merchants need to go back to the drawing board and relook at their prices,” he said.
“The unfortunate reality is that even at €210/t for barley, tillage farmers on rented land will be loss making or operating on minimal margins - every euro per tonne makes a difference to tillage farmers.”
Reliance
The IFA national grain committee is urging livestock farmers to insist on native grain for feed rations this winter and support merchants and feed mills that give priority to Irish grain.
“Irish wheat and barley grain is of excellent quality this year, despite a very challenging winter and spring for crop production.
"There must be a premium placed for our native feed grains, which have an inherently lower carbon footprint than other feedstuffs,” added McEvoy.
“Without proper support for our native grains, our national production will only continue to decline, which will only further increase the reliance on imported products.”
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