The straw market is on fire with a base of €28-30/bale being quoted for 4x4 bales of barley straw ex-field, and up to €35/bale being sought in some areas.

Meanwhile, 8x4x3 bales of barley straw are making €60-70/bale ex-field, with €80-90 being quoted for 8x4x4 bales.

A red-hot trade is reported, with one Wexford tillage farmer claiming that the straw was being sold “as quick as it’s coming out of the combine”.

Farmers said that round bales of barley straw are being sold at €25-28/bale for neighbours and long-term customers, but that these deals are not available generally.

Round bales of wheaten straw are making around €28-30/bale in the south midlands, with 8x4x4 bales of oaten straw making up to €75/bale in the northeast. Oaten straw is being quoted at €65/bale in the south for 8x4x3 bales.

Prices for straw delivered into the west are well up on last year. Prices for 8x4x3 bales of barley straw range from €80/bale to as high as €95/bale.

English imports

One west-of-Ireland straw trader maintained that straw imports from the east of England will be an option if prices hold at current levels.

A round bale of barley straw bought at €30 in the southeast, will cost farmers in the west €45/bale, he pointed out.

“That price [€45/bale] equates to €270-280/t, which will make imports from England viable,” he said.

Both farmers and traders agree that straw yields from the spring barley crop could significantly impact prices in the coming weeks.

High straw yields will inevitably force down prices; but if yields are poor, then the high straw costs are likely to hold.

Payments terms for straw are also impacting prices, farmers said. Deals are being done for on-the-day payments.

Southern straw imports remain slow

Although big imports of British straw have been reported in Northern Ireland, the volumes moving south have been small so far.

Straw importer John Fearon, who is based on the Armagh/Louth border, said he has done some repeat business with customers in the south, but the trade has yet to kick off.

He said English straw is available for €220-230/t.

Fearon said he was doing a brisk trade in hay imports, particularly for the horse sector. Prices range from €250/t to €300/t. Around €40-50/bale (4x4s) is being quoted for Irish hay.