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Tillage farmers who opted to plant forage crops under the Fodder Production Incentive are set to receive €2.3m from the Department of Agriculture.
In the Dáil last week, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said some 20,000ha had been planted under the scheme, which has a funding allocation of €2.75m.
A total of 1,701 tillage farmers applied to the scheme aimed at providing additional fodder for livestock farmers. Figures released to the Irish Farmers Journal by the Department of Agriculture show the area planted was 70% brassicas and 30% short-term grasses.
Breakdown
Some 1,255 farmers planted 13,400ha of brassicas. Under the scheme, they received a payment of €100/ha, bringing the total payment to €1,340,000. The average area planted per farmer was 11ha, bringing the average payment to €1,067.
Fewer farmers opted to plant short-term grasses which attracted a payment of €155/ha. Just under 6,100ha were planted by 595 farmers.
The average area planted per farmer was 10ha and total funding for these farmers was €944,111, an average of €1,586 per farmer.
Wexford
Wexford had the highest number of applicants per county, with 378 farmers planting 4,618ha. Brassicas accounted for 85% of the area planted in Wexford.
Cork had the second highest number of applicants at 243, while a total of 2,543ha was planted, split almost evenly between short-term grasses and brassicas. Tipperary, Laois, Carlow and Kilkenny accounted for 35% of applicants with approximately 1,500ha planted in each county.
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