Growers call for €40m tillage support package in Budget 2027
The Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG) is calling on government to commit to a €40 million support package for tillage in Budget 2027.
The organisation’s chair, James Kelly, made the call while attending the recent Teagasc Crops Forum event.
He said: “The government came through with a €30 million tillage support measure in 2026.
"But this was well below that €60 million annual figure promised by both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil promised in the run-up to the last election.
“This has been another challenging year for the tillage sector.
"The industry is finding it difficult to maintain its current size, never mind expand to the size envisaged in the 2030 Climate Action Plan.”
Kelly also referenced the priority for action to be taken on grain imports and the need for Irish tillage farmers to secure a premium prices for their produce.
He said: “IGGG has no issue with grains coming into Ireland from other parts of the European Union.
"They have been produced to the same standards as those expected of Irish farmers.
“But government must address the issues of grains coming into Ireland form those parts of the world where production and environmental standards are much lower.
“This is creating a totally unlevel playing field for the Irish tillage sector.”
Budget 2027 will be announced on Tuesday, October 6. There is a growing expectation that the government will act to recognise the challenges that the tillage sector currently faces.
This year’s drought badly impacted yields. Meanwhile, a combination of high input costs and poor grain prices has added to the pressure on tillage farmers.
What’s more, the 2025/2026 growing season is the fifth year out of the last six when farmers committed to crop production have come under significant financial pressure.
Crops Forum
The Crops Forum event saw discussion centre on the options open to tillage farmers in terms of controlling their costs into the future and insulating their businesses from the ravages of extreme weather.
There is an expectation that global grain prices may strengthen over the coming months: a response to the fact that UK and European crop yields were badly impacted by the recent drought.
But this has yet to happen in any significant way.
Meanwhile the 2026/2027 cereal and oilseed planting season is already underway: some weeks earlier than would normally be the case.
And with input costs remaining high, growers will want Budget 2027 to provide a much needed support boost as they strive to balance their books for the 2025/2026 growing season.
