Tillage farmers facing income crisis, says IFA

IFA grain chairman Liam Dunne has called upon Government authorities and trade buyers to help stem the deepening income crisis on tillage farms.

The IFA says tillage farmers’s income have been severely hit in the last three years by low grain prices and escalating inputs costs, particularly for fertiliser.

Mr Dunne said: “The EU Commission needs to take action to limit speculative investment and escalating input costs to protect growers’ incomes.

"Speculative investment in grains based on investor sentiment, particularly at harvest, has a disproportionate impact on prices.

“This has had disastrous consequences for tillage farmers as the majority of grain in Ireland is traded at harvest off the combine.”