The IFA is remaining tight-lipped about the detail of the proposed malting barley contracts for 2017, which they are discussing with growers at meetings this week.
“We had an initial meeting in Enniscorthy last night,” said the organisation’s Grain Committee Chairman Liam Dunne.
“And we will be chatting to growers in Carlow this evening and then in Athy tomorrow. It would be unfair to talk publicly about the details of the contract now on the table from Boortmalt, until growers in the different regions have had an opportunity to hear directly from their IFA representatives.”
Dunne said that the meetings would be used by the IFA to gauge grower opinion on the detail of Boortmalt’s offer.
Farmers will be given every opportunity to have their say on this important matter. These views will then be reflected back to Boortmalt as a matter of priority.
The Grain Committee Chairman confirmed that the new contract specifies an opportunity to forward sell malting barley on an ongoing basis through to the end of the 2019 harvest.
“The price paid to malting barley growers is based on the Matif wheat price. This has remained reasonably flat over recent months.
“However, this could change significantly with little warning. The new forward-selling proposals will allow growers to be more flexible in adapting to these changes.
“All growers will welcome this development. Up to this point, it is an issue that Boortmalt has approached on a ‘stop-go’ basis.
The new contract also contains small changes regarding crop specifications that farmers must meet. However, these are minor in nature.
Dunne also stressed the need for growers to access improved agronomy practices, where malting barley is concerned.
“Research is undertaken on their behalf. This is paid for courtesy of a producer levy. A Boortmalt representative will attend each of the three grower meetings to discuss the outcomes of the most recent research trials,” he said.