Representatives from Teagasc will brief the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture later today on the diversification of the tillage sector in Ireland.

Committee chair, Pat Deering TD, said that the meeting will focus on what can be done to improve crops, yields, and revenue streams in the tillage sector.

“There are numerous issues facing tillage farmers, including funding, crop diversification and disease control.

“Support for tillage in an animal-dominated agriculture industry needs to be increased, while meeting environmental needs and maximising crop yield potential.

“The committee will engage directly with Teagasc to examine the economic and scientific potential of tillage farming in Ireland.”

Tillage incomes down

The meeting comes a number of weeks after Teagasc’s National Farm Survey found that tillage incomes fell 10% last year.

Tillage farmers were hit hard in the pocket by a decline in crop yields in 2016 and furthermore by a reduction in the price of cereals.

In terms of borrowings, tillage had the second highest the average borrowings at €80,590, only behind the dairy sector.

Overall there has been an increase in total costs as a result of direct production costs increasing by 4% and overhead costs also increasing by 4%, driven by an increase in conacre rental and land improvement.

The average gross margin per hectare on tillage farms stood at €1,058 in 2016, which included a Basic Payment of €348 per hectare. This figure is down from 2015’s €1,161.

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