With co-op harvest 2025 prices now issued, tillage farmers’ fears have crystallised.
While some farmers will acknowledge that the co-ops’ prices are fair, the reality is that they are below the cost of production and leave farmers at a loss. This is why farmers were clamouring for higher budget support from Minister Heydon last week.
Siobhán Walsh’s analysis is stark. Spring barley, the country’s largest single cereal crop, is a loss-making crop at almost every price point available to farmers.
Based on Teagasc figures, a farmer who planted spring barley and receives €180/t for it is losing €46/ac on grain grown on their own land (excluding straw). Those who rent land will incur even larger losses this year.
The malting premium brings farmers into a net positive position, but falling demand for malt means barley growers can no longer count on that premium to bring them from loss-making to profitable.
Analyst Dan Basse of the AgResource Company points out that, globally, all cereal growers are in the same position of making a loss on growing grain. Worryingly, he predicts that grain prices will remain at similar levels for the next three years.
This outlook, unless changed by an unforeseen event, puts tillage farmers at further risk.
Read more
Grain prices announced for Harvest 2025, what do they mean?
Grain markets need a demand driver as current prices set to stay
With co-op harvest 2025 prices now issued, tillage farmers’ fears have crystallised.
While some farmers will acknowledge that the co-ops’ prices are fair, the reality is that they are below the cost of production and leave farmers at a loss. This is why farmers were clamouring for higher budget support from Minister Heydon last week.
Siobhán Walsh’s analysis is stark. Spring barley, the country’s largest single cereal crop, is a loss-making crop at almost every price point available to farmers.
Based on Teagasc figures, a farmer who planted spring barley and receives €180/t for it is losing €46/ac on grain grown on their own land (excluding straw). Those who rent land will incur even larger losses this year.
The malting premium brings farmers into a net positive position, but falling demand for malt means barley growers can no longer count on that premium to bring them from loss-making to profitable.
Analyst Dan Basse of the AgResource Company points out that, globally, all cereal growers are in the same position of making a loss on growing grain. Worryingly, he predicts that grain prices will remain at similar levels for the next three years.
This outlook, unless changed by an unforeseen event, puts tillage farmers at further risk.
Read more
Grain prices announced for Harvest 2025, what do they mean?
Grain markets need a demand driver as current prices set to stay
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