Fertiliser spreading season extended

THE FARM organisations have welcomed the two-week extension to the spreading periods for both slurry and artificial fertiliser.

The extension was announced by the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, at the Tullamore Show on Sunday.

Under existing regulations the cutoff date for the spreading of artificial fertiliser is September 15, while October 15 is last day for slurry spreading. However, chemical fertiliser can now be spread to the end of September, and slurry until the end of October.

Minister Creed also confirmed that measures for the importation of fodder were being considered by the Department of Agriculture and that further details would be outlined later.

ICMSA president Pat McCormack welcomed the measure but observed that on its own it would not be sufficient to address what he predicted was “almost certain to be a fodder crisis” this coming winter and spring.

IFA president Joe Healy said a fodder import scheme will have to be part of the Government’s response to the drought conditions as soon as possible to give co-ops and merchants the best chance of sourcing fodder abroad.

Teagasc has estimated the shortfall in silage stocks nationally at close to 9m tonnes or almost 10m round bales as a result of the drought.

“Following consultation with my colleague the Minister for Planning, Housing and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy, I can announce flexibility on an extension to the closed period for spreading of chemical and organic fertilisers in order to capitalise on autumn grass growth for fodder production,” Minister Creed said in Tullamore.

Meanwhile, grass growth around the country is variable but has generally jumped to around 70kg/ha/day in the west and north, and has topped 50kg/ ha/day in the south and east.

Farmers in areas where grass growth has recovered best are managing to close ground for silage.

However, in the east and south, farmers are still struggling to keep grass ahead of dairy herds and further rains are needed before closing paddocks for silage can be contemplated.

A survey by Brett Brothers has put the overall silage shortage in their catchment area of Kilkenny-Tipperary at 50pc of requirements.