Sinn Féin spokesperson for agriculture, Deputy Claire Kerrane, has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, to respond to growing concerns over the potential impact that imports of Ukrainian grain could have on prices for grain growers in Ireland.
The Roscommon-Galway TD has said that imported Ukrainian grain, at a cost less than the current market price for Irish grain, will place significant pressure on Irish grain growers as harvesting season is about to commence.
“Reports of grain being imported from Ukraine at significantly lower prices to those of national grain prices is really concerning,” Kerrane said.
“I have been contacted by several tillage farmers and Irish Grain Growers [Group] who are very worried about what these imports will mean for the sector.
“They have advised me that the imported grain is being traded at €160/t, in comparison to current market prices for Irish grain of €202/t for barley, €223/t for wheat, and €430/t for oilseed rape,” she added.
With drying costs added at an additional €35/t, that is a drop of over €100/t between the two products, according to the TD.
Ukrainian grain imports
Deputy Kerrane added that there is a stark difference between Ukrainian prices and national prices and this threatens to force grain prices down, which will in turn have a severe impact on grain growers in Ireland.
“This threat to depress the sector comes at the worst time, as harvest season is about to start,” she said.
“Similar issues have been experienced in other EU states, such as Poland and Latvia, which have received compensation at EU level, in order to prevent a collapse in their national tillage sectors as a result of Ukrainian grain being imported in.
“I have queried this matter with Minister McConalogue and asked him to outline what supports and assurances he intends to provide to tillage farmers, given these recent reports.”
Deputy Kerrane noted that that last week, Minister McConalogue acknowledged that the tillage sector lost out under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as was reported by Agriland.
“It is important that that recognition is now translated into action and adequate supports for the tillage sector where they are needed,” she said.