Ireland likely to have to increase grain imports over unrelenting rain

Ireland is likely to have to increase its grain imports in response to crop damage caused by unrelenting rainfall over the past three months, particularly in the south of the country, says Cork-based Teagasc tillage advisor Ciaran Collins.

The Moorepark-based crop expert said that Teagasc will probably have to downgrade its projection of Aug 3 that overall 2012 national cereal production would total 2.3m tonnes by the end of the year. Even that projection amounted to a 9% output reduction on 2011, despite the fact that overall acreage devoted to cereals has increased by 3.6% from 296,000 hectares in 2011 to 315,000 h/a in 2012.

“We may have to increase our imports, which would normally be around 1m tonnes,” said Mr Collins. “The condition of the ground is the biggest problem. If farmers can travel on the land, then they will cut. They can judge that themselves, so there isn’t really a lot of advice we can give themon that front.