Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) grain committee chair Kieran McEvoy has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue to provide targeted financial tillage support to farmers most in need, following “relentless” rainfall this year.
In the recent flooding from Storm Babet, many parts of the country were severely impacted with farmers and contractors coming to the aid of neighbours whose properties were under water.
While speaking to many farmers following the flooding, they had similar thoughts that while there were other concerns that remained priority, crop damage was happening nationwide.
McEvoy said that a “substantial area” of spring barley and spring oats were “effectively salvaged”, with very poor yields since the last week of September, as weather conditions remained wet.
According to the IFA, this shows the potential losses per hectare for an unharvested spring cereal crop grown on rented land could exceed €2,200/ha, with a salvaged crop potentially losing up to €1,700/ha.
McEvoy said that an IFA survey, through its National Grain Committee, shows a number of growers, particularly in the south and south-east of the country still have unharvested spring cereals remaining in fields.
“The financial implications for growers caught in these unfortunate circumstances are extremely serious,” McEvoy said.
The IFA held a recent meeting with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) officials to discuss difficulties in the tillage sector at present.
McEvoy described the €8 million funding announced for tillage support in Budget 2024 as “very modest”.
“The only way it can make a difference, is to target it towards tillage farmers who have lost most or all of their crops in this very difficult year,” McEvoy said.