Latest CSO figures show that November 2020 saw Ireland hit a three-year high for imported maize.

Data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows that from January 2020 to the end of November 2020, 1.156m tonnes of maize were imported into this country.

Some 206,686t were imported in November, the highest amount imported in a one-month period in the past three years. Over 50% of maize imported in November came from Ukraine and Canada.

Even in the season of severe drought in 2018 and the following winter of 2018/2019, the highest level of maize imported in a month reached 198,618t in November 2018.

However, overall, maize imports are currently over 300,000t behind 2018 and over 200,000t behind 2019.

Brexit

Brexit may have been a driver for the November hike as feed stocks were gathered ahead of uncertainty.

However, maize imports are still below 2018 and 2019. By November 2018 and 2019 maize imports had reached almost 1.47 million tonnes and 1.37 million tonnes respectively.

Up to the end of November 2020, 193,323t of wheat and 181,854t of barley were imported into this country.