Miscanthus rules amended to allow farmers plough in crops
About 300 Irish farmers have invested in growing almost 6,000 acres of miscanthus, benefiting from national and EU grant aid totalling more than €4m since 2007.
Aid was payable on up to 50% of the approved costs (or €1,300 per hectare) associated with establishing the crops. Many miscanthus growers are in the Cork North-West and west Limerick areas. However, market outlets have been hard to find for harvested crops of miscanthus, also knows as elephant grass.
