Farmers hit by huge increase in cost of feed
THE devastating impact of this summer’s drought on the price farmers pay for feed has been exposed in a report.
The study, by DoneDeal.ie, shows how prices have soared as farmers are scrambling for supplies.
Silage saw the most dramatic rise as prices increased from €20.24 a bale 12 months ago to €29.22 now – an annual rise of more than 40pc.
The price of straw has surged from an average of €16.35 a bale in June and July of 2017 to €24.02. Meanwhile, hay is up 18pc to €27.23 in the same period.
The survey found that average bale prices have rocketed by 19.96pc year on year as the shortage of feed intensifies.
The most dramatic rises were seen in Leinster, where silage and hay bale prices have risen 26pc compared with 2017.
Irish Creamery Milk Supplier Association president Pat McCormack said the hefty increase was no surprise.
He renewed his call for the introduction of a fodder import scheme as he said farmers were facing “an ominous winter”.
THE financial impact of the drought on feed prices is laid bare in a new report showing soaring prices for farmers scrambling for supplies.
Research shows silage has seen the most dramatic rise as prices increased from €20.24 a bale 12 months ago to €29.22 now – an annual rise of 31pc.
The price of straw has also surged from an average of €16.35 a bale in June and July of 2017 to €24.02. Meanwhile, hay is up 18pc to €27.23 in the same period.
An in-depth analysis was undertaken by DoneDeal.ie, which found that, on average bale prices have rocketed by 19.96pc year-on-year as the shortage of feed intensifies.
DoneDeal.ie analysed more than 5,000 adverts for bales placed on the site in June and July this year and compared those to the same period in 2017.
The most dramatic rises were seen in Leinster, where silage and hay bale prices have increased 26pc compared to the same period in 2017.
Farmers are grappling with the aftermath of months of extremely hot, dry weather which followed an icy cold spring.
Irish Creamery Milk Supplier Association (ICMSA) president Pat McCormack added that the hefty increase in fodder prices was no surprise and renewed his call for the introduction of a fodder import scheme by the Department of Agriculture because farmers were facing “an ominous winter”.
“No one should be surprised at this kind of price surge as individual farmers desperately try to source fodder that is often for use right now as opposed to being kept for the back end of the year and next January and February,” he said.
“Instead of crossing our fingers and hoping for a solution, ICMSA would prefer to at least do what’s within our own power and face up to what everyone must realise is going to be a deeply anxious and pressurised time, as these surging prices already confirm. For that reason a fodder import scheme is required immediately.”
Speaking about the research, Adam Ferguson from DoneDeal. ie added: “This is a crisis for farmers. The snow in spring followed by the extreme drought has made the production of hay, straw and silage extremely difficult and we’re seeing this now in these surging prices.
“At the moment we’re witnessing Spanish companies, who have identified the crisis, advertising alfalfa and English straw on DoneDeal to Irish farmers.
“Encouraging trade in Ireland with the stock that we currently have in the country will help alleviate the problem and we’ve decided to support this by making it free for farmers to advertise feed and bedding on DoneDeal for the month of August.”
A €2.75m fodder aid scheme announced by Agriculture Minister Michael Creed last week aims to double the area of catch crops sown each year to more than 45,000ha.