Identify crops that 'deliver the strongest economic returns' - specialist
Rather than growing crops on a speculative basis, Teagasc is strongly urging tillage farmers to sit down and compile a strategic plan for 2025/2026.
This was one of the key cropping themes discussed at the National Ploughing Championships 2025.
Teagasc tillage specialist Shay Phelan said: "This means sitting down with merchants and identifying those crops that will deliver the strongest economic returns over the next 10 to 12 months.
“Developing the most effective rotations will also be a priority for growers over the coming weeks.
“And this may well bring beans centre stage on many farms."
Phelan noted that recent years have seen the establishment of cover crops containing "significant proportions" of brassica.
“This then rules out the option of planting oilseed rape because of the club root risk," he said.
“However, spring beans tick the combined boxes of being a protein crop, which is not impacted by club root."
According to the Teagasc representative, wheat and barley may well be the least profitable cereal crops grown in Ireland during 2025/2026.
He explained: “Our latest costs and returns forecasts are pointing to this reality, particularly on rented land.
“Winter rye is a cereal with significant yield potential, with a significant degree of inherent resistance to Take-All.
“But prior to planting, growers should talk to their merchants in order to verify the full market potential of the crop.”
Significantly, Phelan does not think that a possible tillage support package for tillage coming out of 2026 will impact on growers’ planting decisions over the coming weeks.
He has confirmed that ploughing has already started in many parts of the country in preparation for the 2025 winter planting season.
“We remain a plough-based tillage sector," he said.
"But as farm sizes increase, we may well see reduced tillage operations gathering momentum.
“And this trend simply reflects the fact that tillage farmers will be striving to plant out greater areas of crop within a limited timeframe.”
Meanwhile, many parts of the country have received 50mm of rain over the last three weeks.
According to Phelan: “But ground conditions remain good. It’s easy to forget that spoil moisture deficits were running at up to 60mm at the end of August.
“Normal rainfall patterns should allow the more than acceptable ground conditions that are available now to be maintained.
“But one or two nights’ heavy rain could soon change that in parts of the country.”
