Cereal seed area up 2,000ha

Seed crops represent an important market for Irish tillage farmers.

Stephen Robb

11 September 2019

Seed crops are subject to strict production criteria.

The area of certified cereal seed grown in Ireland in 2019 has reached 8,729ha. That is 2,000ha above the 2016 area.

The area of winter barley and winter/spring oat seed has seen the largest increase, up 19% and 42% respectively.

Seed crops are subject to strict production criteria with zero tolerance for weeds such as wild oats, sterile brome and blackgrass.

Seed crops represent an important market for Irish tillage farmers, commanding a premium above feed prices.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) recently called on all seed assemblers to increase the premiums paid to growers and improve the transparency of their pricing models.

Waterproof wheat developed using gene editing

Crop variety and policy decisions on the agenda at National Crops Forum

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