Spring barley sowing to be lower

IRISH spring barley sowings could be as much as 40% behind 2009 levels, said farmers last week.

But this would not lift prices, because high production overseas will put new crop grain prices under increasing pressure closer to harvest, predicted IFA national grain committee chairman Noel Delany.

He said no farmer should take out spring cereal seed without agreeing a floor price for his grain, or securing a better market such as farm-to-farm trading.

He said most growers would lose money at the €100 per tonne being offered for green barley and €103 to €106 for green wheat, unless they achieve exceptional yields, or production costs fall dramatically. “Growers should take a serious look at alternative crops such as oil seed rape, peas, beans, contract maize etc, where minimum or fixed price contracts are on offer.”