This year has been a difficult year so far for agricultural contractors and farmers need to have some understanding, the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) has said.

Following almost two months of heavier than normal rainfall across many areas of Ireland, the FCI is conscious that this will lead to two to three weeks of huge demand on contractor services.

"Each farmer aims to prioritise the harvesting of their individual grass silage crops, while others strive to get crops into the ground.

"Farmers and their advisers need to understand that each contractor’s priority is to get through the grass harvesting work in the fastest possible time, with no machine breakdowns or safety concerns," the FCI said.

Drivers

The FCI is predicting that there will be an immediate follow-up demand for slurry spreading services on silage stubble ground.

"This will push driver resources to the limit at a time when contractors are struggling to recruit suitable operators.

"Driver resources are now limited and currently stretched, while labour costs have risen accordingly," the association said.

Safety

Safety concerns remain an equally important priority during a busy silage harvesting season, said FCI chair John Hughes.

"Working longer than normal hours with powerful machines to satisfy farmer client demand can result in decision errors due to lack of concentration caused by fatigue.

"The consequences of the risks of errors with modern machines are too catastrophic to consider," he said.

Contractor costs

Hughes said that the FCI has received calls from members who are coming under pressure from dairy farmers and their advisers to lower silage harvesting charges in 2023.

“In a time of high inflation, there is simply no scope for contractors to reduce their charges below those of 2022.

"It is easy and sometimes convenient to forget that today’s agri-diesel costs remain 25% higher than in 2021," he said.

Based on the results from the FCI cost calculator, Hughes said that diesel costs are only between 16% and 18% of total agricultural contractor operating costs. Diesel costs are not the major cost - wages and machinery costs are higher.

“Irish agricultural contractors have suffered the pain of machinery cost inflation, along with machinery replacement parts and interest rate increases,” said Hughes.

Hughes urged farmers and their advisers to appreciate the value of the services provided by contractors and that it's not just about the price.