Irish malting industry ‘faces extinction’

DRINKS giant Diageo was warned yesterday it will not have an industry in Ireland to supply it with malt unless the prices paid to farmers are greatly increased.

The IFA said it was incredible that Diageo and publicans were set to increase the price of the pint by 15 cent while malting barley growers, who provide the main ingredient, were getting less than one cent of the average €3.60 cost of a pint.

The IFA said that at a time when both the Greencore subsidiary Minch Malt and Diageo are passing on their increased costs to consumers and increasing their own margins and profits, malting barley farmers have been offered €4/tonne less than last year.