Grain prices

Any one that has featured on international billboards will know all about yachts. They say that there’s an X Class Princess yacht called “The Star of Stradbally” moored near London Bridge.
Ha ha, I have had my mug on a poster or two in the surrounding tube stations, however I have as yet not received "quay" and the yacht...
 
The €133 for green Harvest barley offered today was pretty depressing reading. A €130/T harvest price would be the nail in the coffin
Unfortunately thats the price of it at the moment, and cheap grains arent worth a feic. any merchant can but boatloads of maize for €170 ish probably for the next 18 months hence their green price. US maize plantings are flying it for so early (but they are expert at planting at the wrong time), rain seems to be hit and miss in Eastern EU, see Hungary hasnt had rain in 75 days, but also reports of plenty of rain in the black sea. Ukraine would be the main area to watch as so much of our maize is coming from there. Also buyers standing off in the fert game and I see China have taken $50 a ton of potash last week. For what was a promising grain price year, has been reduced to another arses on the road :no:

Thankfully its a market I dont watch closely anymore, but still have an interest.
 
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The €133 for green Harvest barley offered today was pretty depressing reading. A €130/T harvest price would be the nail in the coffin

And to cap it all a loss of premium markets to add more pressure to domestic markets.

And let's be realistic even for those who generally sow all spring crops, it would be less likely that last years record yields will be repeated again.
 
Maize can be forward bought until the end of 2023 for around €170/t ex port in Ireland...as Ozzy says, that wouldn’t be grade A French maize.
It must be tempting for millers to lock in at that price but I’d wager they’re waiting for it to drop another €10-15 before they’ll commit. That sets a backstop on barley for the next three years.

I’ve a few ton of last years barley to offload but it’s friendless Atm. Nobody wants it right now. Sent a text to a few pig men to try and sell it...the most I could get is €161 and I’d have to roll and deliver it for that.
 
I like to sell grain around the same time as my costs are set, Fert prices tend to be higher when grain prices are high and lower when grain prices are low.
I got offered Lithan 34.4% N yesterday for €181 delivered. It’s Lithuanian average quality fert that’ll go 24m no bother and up to 36m with newer models. Full loads delivered next Jan/Feb/Mar. Toplift big bag only.
I never thought that I’d see such prices again.
Half paid 21st June and half before years end.
 
I got offered Lithan 34.4% N yesterday for €181 delivered. It’s Lithuanian average quality fert that’ll go 24m no bother and up to 36m with newer models. Full loads delivered next Jan/Feb/Mar. Toplift big bag only.
I never thought that I’d see such prices again.
Half paid 21st June and half before years end.

Someone will make a right few quid with the use of your money before they have to pay down for your fertiliser :whistle:, everyone standing off in the fert trade so its dropping away, one big user buys and it will take decent jump
 
Someone will make a right few quid with the use of your money before they have to pay down for your fertiliser :whistle:, everyone standing off in the fert trade so its dropping away, one big user buys and it will take decent jump
You’re right!
They say that a ton of French wheat changes hands on average 14 times before the end user buys...however it makes no difference to me what investors make/lose on my fert or money, all I care about is getting value.

The free fall of fert continues. Just got two offers by text for N 34.4% @ €176.5 and Urea gran @ €238. Fascinating watching it in freefall, but somewhat disconcerting at the same time.
 
You’re right!
They say that a ton of French wheat changes hands on average 14 times before the end user buys...however it makes no difference to me what investors make/lose on my fert or money, all I care about is getting value.

The free fall of fert continues. Just got two offers by text for N 34.4% @ €176.5 and Urea gran @ €238. Fascinating watching it in freefall, but somewhat disconcerting at the same time.

Your paying for fertiliser that has not even been manufactured, fancy asking your merchant for an advance of 6 months on your forward sold grain...........come to think of it many Irish lads do that with merchant credit:lol:, but there is a auld 5% charge for the privilege. Falling prices take the big risk out of the game, no point been too worried, only danger is to be tempted back to high input.

Heard of lads irrigating spring barley yesterday. Do they not realise SB at 135? Would you put pump and engines into a field in Ireland for less than half a ton of barley, I doubt it. I suppose easier than blaming the weather for losing money
 
Your paying for fertiliser that has not even been manufactured, fancy asking your merchant for an advance of 6 months on your forward sold grain...........come to think of it many Irish lads do that with merchant credit:lol:, but there is a auld 5% charge for the privilege. Falling prices take the big risk out of the game, no point been too worried, only danger is to be tempted back to high input.

Heard of lads irrigating spring barley yesterday. Do they not realise SB at 135? Would you put pump and engines into a field in Ireland for less than half a ton of barley, I doubt it. I suppose easier than blaming the weather for losing money
Irrigating spring barley where? Ireland?
 
The only irrigating of cereals that I heard about was some Jan sown wheat in Dublin.

Things are tough enough on the ground up there I believe. Winter sown crops that struggled to establish.
Others waited till January to sow wheat only for it to get hammered by February rains & crows.
Others ploughed up poor winter crops and replanted with spring barley only for it to remain parched from the lack of rain.

For anyone on a public forum to be criticizing their efforts to get a crop established is unkind and disrespectful in my opinion.

Sometimes those who criticise other farmers the most would be best looking inside their own farm gate.
 
The only irrigating of cereals that I heard about was some Jan sown wheat in Dublin.

Things are tough enough on the ground up there I believe. Winter sown crops that struggled to establish.
Others waited till January to sow wheat only for it to get hammered by February rains & crows.
Others ploughed up poor winter crops and replanted with spring barley only for it to remain parched from the lack of rain.

For anyone on a public forum to be criticizing their efforts to get a crop established is unkind and disrespectful in my opinion.

Sometimes those who criticise other farmers the most would be best looking inside their own farm gate.

My take is anyone irrigating spring cereals now, would want to take a long look at there farming system. Less than 40 days ago we couldnt travel land due to water. Droughts dont appear in 40 days unless horrendous management, hasnt been any warmer than 20c and day length is still short in April.
 
My take is anyone irrigating spring cereals now, would want to take a long look at there farming system. Less than 40 days ago we couldnt travel land due to water. Droughts dont appear in 40 days unless horrendous management, hasnt been any warmer than 20c and day length is still short in April.
I honestly couldn’t care less if ones farming system is “right” or “wrong” according to self styled experts.

My post was to highlight that a bit of sensitivity towards people who have struggling crops mightn’t go astray - especially so on an open public forum.
 
I honestly couldn’t care less if ones farming system is “right” or “wrong” according to self styled experts.

My post was to highlight that a bit of sensitivity towards people who have struggling crops mightn’t go astray - especially so on an open public forum.

I couldnt either, is there a right or wrong way?

In all seriousness, irritating crops on the 2 of May after we got our annual rainfall over 7 of the previous 8 months, would it not make you stop and think that there maybe other reasons that you could influence.

If people are as sensitive as you make out, they should keep well away from the internet :laugh:
 
I couldnt either, is there a right or wrong way?

In all seriousness, irritating crops on the 2 of May after we got our annual rainfall over 7 of the previous 8 months, would it not make you stop and think that there maybe other reasons that you could influence.

If people are as sensitive as you make out, they should keep well away from the internet :laugh:
What are the other reasons that you could influence to put moisture in your soil to make your crops grow to feed your family?
Crops are under serious pressure in the north east for want of rain
 
What are the other reasons that you could influence to put moisture in your soil to make your crops grow to feed your family?
Crops are under serious pressure in the north east for want of rain
How come a Forest does not suffer from drought . Humus and Groundcover .
 
What are the other reasons that you could influence to put moisture in your soil to make your crops grow to feed your family?
Crops are under serious pressure in the north east for want of rain

Soil Structure, humus levels, rooting capacities of the varieties, previous cropping damage, moisture conservation, rotation, the list is pretty endless. How do farmers manage in other countries with much much less water than we get? Methods used for soil quality improvement and conservation, will aid soil moisture conservation. Its the 6th of May. I would say something if it was beyond the 20th. Soil maybe dry ontop but there is plenty of moisture down a few inches, that if you havent manage to dissipate it
 
Soil Structure, humus levels, rooting capacities of the varieties, previous cropping damage, moisture conservation, rotation, the list is pretty endless. How do farmers manage in other countries with much much less water than we get? Methods used for soil quality improvement and conservation, will aid soil moisture conservation. Its the 6th of May. I would say something if it was beyond the 20th. Soil maybe dry ontop but there is plenty of moisture down a few inches, that if you havent manage to dissipate it
Soils in this area aren't overly suited to spring cropping of cereals, not due to bad farming practices but their heavy nature. We grow fantastic crops of winter wheat 9 years out of ten due to the heavier nature of the soil. Last back end due to terrible weather very little wheat was planted due to none of the reasons on your so called pretty endless list above other than hugely excessive rainfall.
These farmers were left with very few options this spring only beans, spring wheat or spring barley and because of getting 10mm of rain and drying east winds in the past 6 weeks the spring barley in particular is struggling big time.
As cork said above a bit of sensitivity towards lads whose crops are struggling wouldn't go amiss.
My own are acceptable, il not lose sleep over them as I've other income streams but for lads solely depending on them it's tough.
It doesn't seem that long ago that ye dairy boys down south were pleading with the government for grant aided fodder support schemes.
Short memories it seems
 
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Irrigation is hardly too big a deal for a spud farmer who is all planted up, therby staff not overly busy and irragators already on farm but not yet needed for the spuds and cheap fuel. Maybe I'm wrong but I can't see a huge expense, certainly not half a tonne mentioned above.
 
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