Call for Walsh to assist grain farmers

THE IFA has called on Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh to come to the aid of grain farmers who are trying to cope with difficult harvesting conditions due to the recent wet weather.

About half of the country's wheat and barley crops have yet to be harvested, but the quality of the grain being cut is reported to be good.

Farmers, however, are in a race against the clock to cut the remainder of their crops before sprouting becomes a problem.

However, improved weather earlier this week, after periods of heavy rain, have boosted the harvesting in various parts of the country.

IFA deputy president Ruaidhri Deasy urged Minister Walsh to make an immediate 70% advance arable aid payment to grain farmers in order to alleviate severe cash flow problems.

These have been caused by the unusually wet weather, difficult harvesting conditions and grain prices which do not cover the cost of production.

"Harvesting conditions have been the most difficult for years with 75% of the wheat crop still to be cut in the North Midlands. Wheat cut in this area in the last fortnight has been cut at moistures of 26% or greater.

"Luckily for growers, quality and bushels are still excellent but many growers have little option at this stage but to cut crops even at these high moistures in order to maintain quality."

Mr Deasy said unless weather conditions and prices improve dramatically, grain farmers would face severe financial losses.

Growers must achieve a minimum of last year's price level for barley of €102 per tonne with a minimum premium of €5/tonne for wheat in order to maintain incomes.

"The value of the yield increase this harvest will be wiped out because of increased penalties due to high moisture content, loss of the straw, due to weathering, and reduced yields coupled with the increased cost of harvesting and transport of wet crops."

Mr Deasy said cereal growing in Ireland is at a critical juncture. With grain prices for many farmers no longer covering the cost of production, growers will have no option but to restructure their payments in 2005 onto a reduced area and in many instances question whether they should grow a crop at all.

He said the trade is also trying to take advantage of growers' financial vulnerability due to the difficult harvesting conditions by forcing them to take prices which are currently below the cost of production. Imported wheat which has landed in Belfast is trading at €129 per tonne, whereas Irish dried-growers are being forced to sell their grain at discounted prices of between €7 and €12 per tonne.

This is totally unacceptable and growers should be paid the imported price, Mr Deasy said.