Boortmalt suppliers are being invited to attend five meetings explaining how the hedging and fixed price mechanisms for malting barley work. The meetings began on Tuesday and Wednesday in Ballinaboola and Ennniscorthy, both in Co Wexford.

Forward selling and hedging proved to be quite controversial last year, when harvest price fell considerably compared with the prices on offer during the season. Growers maintained their lack of understanding of the pricing mechanisms on offer and some saw forward selling as a form of gambling. But those who availed of the options last season were financially better off because of their decisions.

Commitment was given after last harvest to provide more information to growers on these options for the coming season and these meetings are the result.

Paul Sommerville of Sommerville Advisory Markets in Dublin will explain how the pricing mechanisms work.

Growers are advised to attend as the market outlook for the coming harvest is not rosy at the moment and all possible mechanisms must be used to help protect margins.

Meetings remain in the Seven Oaks Hotel tonight (Thursday 7 May) and the Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise, next Monday and Tuesday (11 and 12 May), all commencing at 7.30pm.