All Merchants Must Match Co-Op Prices for Barley and Wheat

IFA National Grain Chair Kieran McEvoy has called on all Irish grain merchants to match the prices paid by co-operatives for green feed wheat and barley.

“Barley prices of €205-210/t issued by the larger co-operatives are as good as could be expected given the situation in global grain markets, however, some grain merchants have outlined their intention to pay grain prices significantly below these levels. This is simply not acceptable; these merchants need to go back to the drawing board and relook at their prices,” Kieran McEvoy 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,” the IFA National Grain Chair continued.

“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,” he said.

Kieran McEvoy also outlined that the IFA National Grain Committee is asking livestock farmers to insist on native grain for feed rations this winter and support merchants and feed mills who give priority to Irish grain.

“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,” he concluded.