Contract Growing Maize

[Ó hÉidin]

anyone doing it or buying it?

i was talking to a contractor neighbour who grew some and he said to me the going rate is €45-50/ton but he's getting near on €60 due to its quality. i'd take the latter comment with a pinch . . . . .

what about whole crop silage, is anyone doing that?

all thoughts and comments welcome!!

 

[Larry David]

I grow my own but my contractor contract grows a good bit. Its an expensive way of buying it I think, I got 22ton last year or €1100 an acre @ €50/t, costs are
Set + harvest €200
Plastic, seed, sprays,fert €290
Land charge €140

I do my own ploughing and powerharrowing, and use alot of slurry and dung. If you can get yield there is money in it

 

[Big Vern]

we grew 45 acs for the last 2 years for a customer. He dunged it ( he got a gang in to do that as he is nearly 20 mile away and got the shit closer) "we " did the ground work, ploughing, subsoiling PH, he paid for his seed and his chems/fert all delivered to us and applied by us when ours was done. He then got it harvested and hauled to his place, he was more than happy with £500 an acre.
I suppose it depends on your situation i might suggest having a customer before you grow it and having a contract to buy (set price etc) and sticking to it theres some in our neck o the woods who "agrred" to grow such and such for a price then its gone thru the roof and they have sold to the highest bidder..... shysters is the word i think as it leaves the buyer in a gert hole.
we arnt growing any for sale this year as we need home ground for spuds