At present, yield reports are better in the south of the country, particularly in counties Cork, Waterford and Tipperary.
As some crops of straw begin to be picked up it is clear that yields are back. Some reports indicate there have been of declines in straw yield of 25 per cent and 33 per cent.
8X4X4 bales are reported to be making €60 (delivered) in some parts.
In June, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) estimated that barley straw will reduce by 300,000t and wheaten straw will reduce by 200,000t compared to 2019. This equates to a reduction in supply of 50 per cent. If supply tightens, then the price goes up, but if demand slackens the price will go down. No doubt compost firms are watching the market very closely this year. Estimating demand in this year of the virus (and that goes for everything) will be the hard task, compared to previous years.
