Suckler quota price slips

By Peter Young

The uncertainty of the Fischler proposals continues to put downward pressure on the sale price of suckler quota.

Deals for small lots of suckler quota have been done at €400/unit in recent weeks. However, most agents report that sales are very slow with sellers holding out for between €450 to €500 per unit.

Philip Byrne, from Raymond Potterton, Navan said that suckler quota is making between €400 to €450 a head. There is good demand for leasing which is making between €185 to €200. In Headford mart, suckler quota has been sold for €440-€450 and leased quota is making €195 to €200 per unit.

John Cronin, of Cronin Auctioneers, Mallow has had a lot of enquiries from people looking to buy quota at €400 but most sellers are not accepting this price. The leasing trade continues to be buoyant and there are adequate supplies around to meet the strong demand. In Waterford Ross co-op marts non disadvantaged quota is making €195 while disadvantaged quota is making €200.

Payments of SBP

The payout of €27.465m to 16,174 farmers for November applications of Special beef premium made up the majority of the cheques arriving in the post this week. The total payout for the week was €29.091m. Other payments include Area based compensatory allowances, 158 payments, 0.310 m; Ewe premium;15 payments 0.023 m; Suckler cow; 88 payments, 0.338 m; New slaughter premium, 960 payments, 0.873 m; National Envelope, 455 payments, 0.082m.

Soyabean prices harden

The spot price of soyabean meal has hardened over the last two weeks, rising €4-5 to €238 a tonne. Delays in shipments, from South America, is the main factor in the price rise. The forward price for Soya bean meal has also lifted to between €218 and €219 ex merchant between June and September.

Delays in shipments have also lifted the spot price of maize gluten and maize distillers. Maize gluten, by the time it's in merchant's yards costs €138 a tonne while maize distillers is costing €155 a tonne. The price of rapeseed and sunflower meal has weakened slightly. Rapeseed remains expensive relative to Soya at €167 a tonne. Sunflower meal is costing €130 a tonne. The price of rapeseed is lower in the autumn when the new crush arrived. It can be forward bought for €142 a tonne in October, over €30 back on its price last autumn.

At this stage Irish beet pulp is sold out due to the high winter usage and the low yielding beet crop last year. Imported German molassed beet pulp (8mm) is available for €136 while smaller pellets (6mm) for inclusion in calf or lamb rations is priced at €142 a tonne. The price of citrus and beet pulp prices will continue to rise into the summer while pollard, palm kernel and soya hulls should remain relatively static. The premium enjoyed by Barley in recent weeks appears to have eased slightly.