The straw market is showing some signs of life, with interest driven by the continuing wet and cold weather. Some farmers with straw to sell report more enquiries and others report more deals being done.

These are farmers who are actively advertising and looking for customers. Farmers waiting for local customers to order report few enquiries.

Prices vary greatly. Farmers selling out of sheds are generally asking between €8 to €15 per round bale of barley straw, depending on location, bale quality and how much they have left to sell.

Farmers geared up to deliver straw themselves are faring best

Farmers geared up to deliver straw themselves are faring best, and in some cases, are getting the equivalent of €15 plus a delivery charge. Some farmers in western counties are paying €20 to €24 per bale delivered in.

Last month, before weather turned, farmers in tillage areas who were anxious to clear their sheds sold barley straw ex-yard for €10 or less per bale.

One seller claimed this week that he has had enquiries from dairy farmers interested in buying really good straw to store and use next winter. Those farmers believe straw could be scarcer and dearer next winter, given winter cereal acreage is down.

There are still straw bales lying out in fields where the grower did not have enough storage and couldn’t sell it after harvest. Most of this straw is still usable, although becoming wet on the outside layers.