Irish Grain Growers’ Group (IGGG) chair, Bobby Miller, is expecting a strong government message for tillage farmers in Budget 2025.
“The Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, committed to a €30 million support fund for Irish tillage in 2024 at this year’s Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis.
“This must be the starting point to the government’s response, which recognises the needs of those farmers committing to the growing of crops.
“The minster also commissioned the work of the Food Vision Tillage Group.
“It would seem obvious at this stage that Budget 2025 will be the vehicle used by government to deliver its response the final report that was produced by the members of the group,” Miller said.
The IGGG chair confirmed that the 2024 cereal harvest is all but wrapped up: “The spring beans harvest will continue into October.”
Miller added that it has been a “challenging year for tillage farmers across the board. Growers that were heavily committed to winter cereals have not fared well at all.
“Where spring cereals are concerned, yields were nothing to write home about. But grain quality was good for the most part: the quality of malting barley and food grade oat crops held up extremely well.”
Budget 2025
With large tonnages of native grains now in store, the IGGG is very aware that the co-ops and merchants will be considering harvest prices in the coming days.
“These must reflect the punishing 18 to 24 months just experienced by tillage suppliers. Costs of production, including, fertiliser, machinery, machinery parts and plant protection Products have remained high.
“Meanwhile, crop yields have been mediocre at best. This is especially so, where winter crops are concerned.”
“Other costs like farm Insurance , land rental and labour have risen in recent years squeezing our margins per hectare.
“We have noted the financial support given to our dairy neighbours by co-ops to help alleviate the strain for them in a difficult year,” Miller stressed.
The IGGG representative made it very clear that tillage farmers must be treated in the very same manner.
“This reality needs to be reflected in the upcoming harvest price announcements. Grain prices have dropped by approximately 35% since Harvest 2022.
“We need positive signals from those setting prices after such a difficult year . The merchants and the co-ops are buying a carbon neutral product, superior to any imported grain or feedstuff,” Miller said.