The prices that cereal growers in NI are getting for straw have slipped back as the 2025 harvest has progressed.

This week’s dry weather has helped the winter wheat harvest reach near completion and some growers have now started into spring barley.

Cereal producers indicate that up to £30 was available in mid-July for 4x4 round bales of winter barley straw.

However, prices have eased back since then with sellers now generally asking for £25 to £28 collected in the field.

With square bales, barley straw in 8x4x3 bales is being advertised from £60 to £65, with wheat available £5 to £10 less.

Some NI-based growers with heavy bales of chopped barley straw in 8x4x3 bales have got up to £80, although they point out that these bales contain almost the equivalent of three 4x4 rounds.

Local growers also indicate that straw is testing as low as 9% moisture and top-quality straw is being baled across the board.

Grain

However, while the straw market is pretty robust, reports indicate that grain prices from NI feed mills start from £180/t for dried barley and £190/t for dried wheat, with deals for green grain starting from the low £150s.

With grain prices being poor and straw being baled in excellent condition, local growers are reluctant to sell straw too cheap.

Imports

Another factor helping local growers sell straw is that drought conditions in England have seen a poor harvest, so a limited amount of straw has moved over the Irish Sea.

On top of that, whatever English straw is available to buy in NI tends to be relatively expensive.

For example, importers have quoted prices of £85 to £90 for barley and £75 for wheat in 8x4x3 bales.

However, straw from the Republic of Ireland is available to buy in NI and ultimately it helps set local prices.

Hauliers indicate that large 8x4x4 bales of barley straw delivered from the south are available for £75 to £80.

Chopped straw from Spain is still being imported to NI and reports indicate that prices of £205 to £220/t are being quoted by importers.