Autumn has arrived, and with it comes the promise of a bountiful harvest – of sorts – for Irish tillage farmers.
And, up to a point, nature has played its part in making this a reality over recent weeks.
What started out as a very poor harvest, where winter cereals were concerned, has gathered real momentum over recent weeks.
The weather has improved over recent days and spring cereal yields have managed to surpass most growers’ expectations.
A further bonus for tillage farmers has been the excellent yields, quality and prices of straw. Rape and beans apart, it will be interesting to see what area of land is drawn down for the straw chopping scheme this year.
But the real harvest may well be reaped by the tillage sector on Budget Day next Tuesday (October 1).
There is growing expectation that the 2025 Budget will be the vehicle that provides the appropriate response platform.
The requests from the tillage sector to government are manifold in nature.
But they all come back to two basic points: delivering sustainable prices for growers and providing those farmers with a reasonable opportunity to lease the lease the extra land they need to make this happen at a fair and equitable price.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s tillage farmers have had no option but to endure a second successive year of very low margins.
No other sector is as exposed to the ravages of the weather as is crop growing. On the upside, the weather is set fair for the next week and beyond.
This being the case, cereal growers should get the opportunity to get on with autumn planting in a stress-free manner.
Crops that get off to a good start tend to be that much easier to manage effectively irrespective of what next winter’s weather throws at them.
The reality is, that tillage farmers need a significant uplift in their fortunes.
The prospect of some decent weather, an uplift in grain prices and a genuine commitment from government to recognise the challenges now facing the sector would help matters immeasurably – so here’s hoping.