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Sales of straw are slowly gaining momentum, with reports of lower yields at harvest filtering through to livestock farmers, leading to more enquiries and ultimately higher prices year on year.
Various reports from across NI puts round bales of barley straw priced around £17 to £18 sold in the field, with oat straw at similar levels. Wheat straw starts around the £16 per bale mark.
This leaves round bales £2 to £4 above their equivalent value last year. Farmers report paying prices from £20 for round bales delivered, depending on distance travelled.
Squares
Prices reported on 8x4x4 bales are at £57 to £60 with 8x3x4 priced from £35 to £40 before haulage charges are applied. It is a rise of approximately £5/bale for both sizes compared to last year.
Those with straw to sell indicate they are not willing to take lower prices given the difficulties experienced during the 2020 harvest. Significant quantities of straw have been placed in storage until demand increases.
Harvest
After settled weather over the past week, there has been a flurry of field work to salvage spring crops and straw.
Indications are that harvesting of spring crops is more or less complete with ground now being prepared for planting winter crops.
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