E-Malt.com News article: 3640

Ireland: An average price of feed barley for 2004 in the Republic of Ireland has been agreed, the agricultural newspaper Farming Life revealed on 6th November 2004. According to the newspaper, Irish Farmers' Association National Grain Committee chairman, Paddy Harrington, announced that, following on from negotiations with Minch Malt, the average price for feed barley for 2004, before deals, special allowances and additional payments, had been agreed at EUR95.90/tonne (£66.69), at 20 % moisture exclusive of VAT.

"This year's malting barley premium of EUR17/tonne (£11.82) for home use and EUR13/tonne (£9.04) for export will be paid on top of national average feed price for all malting varieties supplied,” Mr Harrington said. "Grower contracts have been split on a 50:50 basis (home/export) to reflect market requirements. Minch Malt has said that payment of the outstanding balance due will commence immediately."

"Unless malting barley prices lift significantly so that growers can recover the cost of production and return a margin to the business, farmers will avail of restructuring and consider whether they will cut back production in 2005. Grain farmers are no longer prepared to subsidise grain production from their Single Farm Payment," the IFA man said.


13 November, 2004