The country’s largest tillage crop by area - spring barley - cost the average farmer who grew it more than they got for their grain in five out of the past 10 years, according to numbers crunched by Teagasc research officer Fiona Thorne.
“Over the last 10 years, for the average spring barley net margin in the country, five out of 10 years there was a negative return from the marketplace for spring barley and it is still our biggest crop,” Thorne told an Irish Farmers Journal discussion on tillage at Ploughing 2025 on Thursday.
“I think it just really emphasises that we really need to sit down and look at what we are doing, look at some of these newer crops and seriously consider the returns that we are getting from each crop that’s in our rotation.”
Further figures assessed by Teagasc suggest that should 2025’s downward pressure on grain prices continue into next year, spring barley growers could be faced with yielding an extra 1t/ha for the crop just to break even.
2024 saw spring barley grown at average cost requiring 6.7t/ha to break even, but if current prices of €180/t to €190/t continue into next year, the equivalent figure could hit a “stark” 7.6t/ha or over 3t/ac, Thorne stated.
“You really need to have another tonne of spring barley next year to cover that spring barley crop because of that reduction in prices,” she commented.
Breakdown
Thorne said that establishing a cost and margin breakdown is essential for farmers to maximise returns when drawing up crop rotation plans.
Depressed malting barley prices at average yields still sees the crop outperform the “mainstay cereal crops of spring barley, winter wheat and winter barley” and should be considered for rotations, the researcher added.
Make sure to tune into next week’s episode of the Irish Farmers Journal Tillage Podcast for more from Fiona Thorne on crops and agronomy at the National Ploughing Championships.
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The country’s largest tillage crop by area - spring barley - cost the average farmer who grew it more than they got for their grain in five out of the past 10 years, according to numbers crunched by Teagasc research officer Fiona Thorne.
“Over the last 10 years, for the average spring barley net margin in the country, five out of 10 years there was a negative return from the marketplace for spring barley and it is still our biggest crop,” Thorne told an Irish Farmers Journal discussion on tillage at Ploughing 2025 on Thursday.
“I think it just really emphasises that we really need to sit down and look at what we are doing, look at some of these newer crops and seriously consider the returns that we are getting from each crop that’s in our rotation.”
Further figures assessed by Teagasc suggest that should 2025’s downward pressure on grain prices continue into next year, spring barley growers could be faced with yielding an extra 1t/ha for the crop just to break even.
2024 saw spring barley grown at average cost requiring 6.7t/ha to break even, but if current prices of €180/t to €190/t continue into next year, the equivalent figure could hit a “stark” 7.6t/ha or over 3t/ac, Thorne stated.
“You really need to have another tonne of spring barley next year to cover that spring barley crop because of that reduction in prices,” she commented.
Breakdown
Thorne said that establishing a cost and margin breakdown is essential for farmers to maximise returns when drawing up crop rotation plans.
Depressed malting barley prices at average yields still sees the crop outperform the “mainstay cereal crops of spring barley, winter wheat and winter barley” and should be considered for rotations, the researcher added.
Make sure to tune into next week’s episode of the Irish Farmers Journal Tillage Podcast for more from Fiona Thorne on crops and agronomy at the National Ploughing Championships.
Read more
Ploughing 2025: State must stump up any CAP funding shortfall – Walsh
Listen: biomethane at the ploughing – a turning point?
Plough On Podcast: 'farmers should marry an accountant to avoid stress'
Ploughing 25: increase in nitrate levels in rivers 'shouldn't hit derogation'
Tirlán sees ‘resurgence and return’ to winter planting for 2025 harvest
In pictures: 85,000 flock to Screggan for Ploughing day two
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