Platform: There's no point baling straw if it doesn't stack up

The financial risks are high this year so we are hoping the dice falls kindly, writes Bobby Miller, chairman of the Irish Grain Growers' Group.

Shot of a farmer stacking hale bales with a tractor on his farm

Recently published figures by Teagasc show that the P and K value of straw has doubled to a tillage farmer since 2019. The extreme rise in fertiliser prices has lead to this reality. 

Harvest is upon us and decisions need to be made on Straw. Both the tillage farmer and the potential buyer of the straw needs to know its value to the Tillage farmer. Costs of handling straw have risen and must be factored in if deciding to bale straw for sale.