Growers ‘will not accept low prices’

MANY grain farmers have indicated that they will restructure their payments from rented land onto a reduced area and that, if low prices for grain materialise, they will cease grain production for next year’s harvest, the IFA has claimed.

Grain committee chairman Paddy Harrington said growers are adamant they will not accept grain prices below production cost. The Single Farm Payment gives growers the flexibility to produce or not produce a crop.

“Growers need to realise a minimum of last year’s price levels for grain if they are to cover the cost of production and return a small margin to their business,” said Mr Harrington.

“If this does not happen, many growers will offload rented land and leave the remainder fallow.”