Boortmalt is offering a €164/t to farmers who choose to grow winter malting barley, the Irish Farmers Journal understands.

It is available for a limited tonnage and a small number of farmers.

Farmers who take up the offer for contracted tonnage have the option of accepting this forward price, which is based on the current market price, or to defer and go on the FOB Creil pricing structure.

Earlier this week, Glanbia announced a feed grain base price of €128/t which, when trading bonuses are included, rises to €141/t.

Condemning

The IGG said Boortmalt’s offer is just €23/t above the Glanbia feed grain offer, “which all grain growers are condemning”.

Its chair Bobby Miller said the €164/t offer is “a massive reduction from last autumn's offer of €230 per tonne” and a “massive step backwards by Boortmalt to show loyalty to its Irish growers.

“Boortmalt will not confirm whether they are importing grain at present,” Miller added.

Intervene

He called on the Government to intervene and commit to review the technical files for whiskey and spirits production and its current GI (geographic indicator) status.

“The Government and the Department of Agriculture who drew up the technical files must insist on the inclusion of Irish grain to bring parity to where in the technical files for Irish cream spirits, Irish cream must be used,” he said.