Farmers across the country are facing feed price increases of €10/t.

The price rises come on foot of recent grain and protein crop price gains on global markets.

Many merchants and feedmills have already been in contact with customers to inform them of price hikes from 1 December.

These increases apply to both coarse and pelleted rations. Straights, including rolled barley, are also creeping up.

While farmer buyers, and indeed grain farmers who sold product at harvest, are pointing out that harvest prices were dull, merchants say that their prices have to reflect the prices they are now paying for ration ingredients.

Soya and grain prices have risen by around $50/t since September, with increased demand from China a prime example of real demand driving the market.

The projected demand was for 7m tonnes of US maize and soya. This has risen to 20m tonnes. At the same time, harvest projections for South American crops had been dialled back.

The bad news doesn’t end there, with the Irish Grain and Feed Association warning that farmers could be paying the price for a trade war between the EU and the US.

Boat diverted

A boat carrying up to 25,000t of beet pulp from the US to Ireland faced diversion to the UK this week.

Levies of 25% are being applied by the EU on US beet pulp and molasses in a tit-for-tat escalating trade war

The Irish Grain and Feed Association’s (IGFA) Deirdre Webb told the Irish Farmers Journal: “Ultimately, unless the ministers and Department officials are held responsible, Irish farmers will continue to pay.”