Weather threatens harvest yield

WEATHER conditions are likely to reduce this year’s harvest yield by 10% to 15%, the Irish Farmers Association forecast yesterday.

Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan has, meanwhile, approved the immediate use of set-aside lands for animal feed purposes to ease the impact of the wet weather on farming. She said her decision will enable farmers to use set-aside lands now for the grazing of their animals or for the production of a forage crop.

This will greatly assist the farmers involved to address fodder problems brought on by the rainfall levels over several weeks, she said.