Few bright spots for growers
One of the few bright spots for growers were future prices for new crop wheat collection in October 2015 at €20/t over price offers for the 2014 crop.
Irish dried grain prices were steady at €155-158/t for barley, with some deals reported at €160 in the North- East and north Midlands. Wheat was unchanged at €160--€162.
Merchants are reluctant to quote for green grain but the IFA reported growers dealing at €133-€140 for barley at 20% moisture (excluding VAT), with wheat €5-€6 dearer.
The IFA estimated on Tuesday that 55%-60% of the cereal harvest was complete in southern counties, and 50%-55% was cut along the south-eastern and eastern coasts.
Crops were just ripening in North Tipperary and South Offaly, with only 10%-15% of spring barley cut, and were a little later in the north Midlands and North-West, with only about 10% of winter wheat and spring barley cut.
The harvest is estimated to be 60%-65% completed in South Tipperary, Carlow, and south Kildare.
Yields were estimated at 2.5t-3.4t/ac in early sown spring barley; 4-4.8t/ac, averaging about 4.4t, in first wheats; and 3.75-4.5t, but averaging 4.2t, in continuous wheat.
IFA grain chairman Liam Dunne said: “Grain prices are invariably at their lowest at this time of the year as prices succumb to harvest pressure and short selling dictates the price.
“Alternative markets such as farm-to-farm are delivering a significant premium over traditional market outlets.
“Farmers, at a minimum, should retain ownership while considering their options, including a deal on drying and storage with their local co-op or merchant, or other farmers.”
He said many livestock farmers can treat and store grain more cost effectively than conventional drying and storage, using enzyme/urea treatment of whole or crimped grain, for example, which enables storage up to 12 months.
Meanwhile, in international grain news, Ukrainian minister Arseny Yatseniuk said 15% of his country’s national grain crop is lost due to fighting with pro-Moscow separatists and Russia’s annexation of the Crimea peninsula.
Ukraine is expected to be the world’s second-largest grain exporter in the 2014/15 crop year.
