Last year’s attempt by French-owned Boortmalt to impose a €12.50 per tonne charge on grain purchased from Irish farmers has managed to become even more controversial.
Company accounts for Boortmalt Ireland Limited show that in the year ending June 2022 the business made a profit of €18.5 million, a massive jump on the €316,000 made the previous year.
The decision to implement the fee was eventually reversed after opposition from growers. The company did, however announce a €10 per tonne drying fee on purchases made between April and December of 2023.
The €10 fee will not apply to fixed prices.
Boortmalt is currently paying €300 a tonne, down €20 from the early-spring price.
The size of the profit the company made in 2022 is likely to become a sticking point with growers, after the attempt to impose the €12.5 a tonne charge had already strained relationships. That was seen when the company introduced the new €10 charge without consultation with farmers.
Tillage farmers remain under pressure for land as rental prices are increasing, as well as for other input prices as diesel and fertiliser remain high. They are unlikely to be in the mood to listen to a company making multi-million euro profits playing the poor mouth.
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