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At least 38,000t of fodder was imported for farmers last year, according to co-op data gathered by Irish Farmers Journal.
The 2018 imports are similar to that of 2013, the first time that fodder was ever imported on a large scale.
The Department of Agriculture has not received all fodder import scheme applications so final figures are not yet available. However, Dairygold imported 20,000t last year, Kerry brought in 9,500t and Glanbia imported 7,000t. Aurivo took in 1,361 bales and Drinagh brought in 86 bales.
Lakeland supplied over 4,000t of fodder to its farmers sourced from UK, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.
In April 2018, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed announced a €1.5m scheme to subsidise 20,000t of imports. A second scheme was later opened at a lower rate (€50/bale) to cover 85,000t of imports. In 2013, €2.8m was issued to subsidise the cost of 40,000t of fodder to 18,000 farmers.
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