English hay prices have rocketed over the last four months, with imported square bales of horse hay from France making up to £5/bale (€5.70/bale).

A combination of scorching weather, abysmal grass growth and collapsed yields from this year’s hay crops have pushed prices in England to record levels.

The latest figures from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in Britain show a 60% increase in average hay prices compared to last year.

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While hay prices averaged £72/t (€82/t) in 2024, this year’s figure is £116/t (€132/t).

However, with the drought continuing in some parts of the English southeast – and hay yields back by as much as 50% - prices are expected to harden further through the back-end of the year.

Hay and straw trader John Fearon – who has a farm outside Chester, as well as a base on the Louth-Armagh border – said he is supplying truckloads of hay into the south of England.

Fearon said he is sourcing some hay in Cheshire and the north of England, but a lot of his supplies are coming from Scotland.

“Scotland is keeping England in hay this year,” he maintained.

“The price of hay in England at the minute is sky high,” Fearon said.

“There's no grass in a lot of the midlands and south of England. Some parts of the south got no rain from February to the first week of September, and they’ve had to feed hay all through the summer,” he explained.

“We’re selling round bales [of hay] for around £55/bale (€63/bale), and we’re paying up to £200 (€228) for 8x4x3s,” he said.

Up to 90% of the hay is being bought by stud farms.

Fearon did not rule out the possibility of a market opening up for Irish hay exports into England; however, he predicted that the bulk of the demand will continue to be supplied from Scotland and France.

Here at home, round bales of good quality hay are generally making between €30/bale and €40/bale, with small squares selling from €4.50/bale to €5.50/bale.

However, there are significant regional price variations, with more demand in the east.