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With harvesting of winter cereals well underway, early reports suggest that prices are significantly down on last year, although higher yields are helping, in part, to offset the lower returns.
Prices for barley sold directly off the combine are typically £130/t-£135/t for grain at 18%-19% moisture in Co Down, although grain at lower moisture content is selling closer to £140/t.
Some dried grain has been sold off-farm in Co Down above £140/t, with some prices approaching £150/t, although quantities of dried grain are still relatively low at this stage.
In the northwest, reports indicate green barley is moving from £136/t to £140/t, with grain at lower moisture levels of 15%-16% trading at the higher end of the price range.
Tonnage is good with winter crops, exceeding 4t/acre and pushing towards 5t in some instances.
However, the initial prices are all well back on 2018, when an extended period of drought hit yields, but saw green barley selling close to £180/t off the combine.
Imported
Elsewhere, dried barley is being imported from the Republic of Ireland at £150/t, with prices of green grain being harvested in Scotland selling upwards from £130/t.
Straw
Straw prices are also back on last year. While quantities sold have been small so far, early reports in the northwest put round 4x4 bales moving at £15/bale out of the field, or £18/bale delivered. Reports from Co Down has round bales moving from £12/bale before haulage costs are factored in. Last summer, round bales were priced closer to £20 collected from the field. Square bales are priced from £22 to £24 for 8x3x3 bales. Larger 8x4x4 bales have been imported from the Republic of Ireland at £50/bale, with 8x4x3 bales moving at £28-£30 inclusive of haulage.
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