Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, TD, has extended the duration of both the fodder import and fodder transport support measures for an additional week.
The measures which were scheduled to conclude on Monday April 30 will now run until Monday 7 May.
“While the weather has improved and grass growth continues to improve significantly, there are farmers in some parts of the country who still need to locate fodder for their animals,” Minister Creed said.
“Having reviewed the situation and listened to the views of members of the representative fodder group I established in March, I have decided that extending the closing date for the two measures for one further week is appropriate.”
While demand for fodder has reduced significantly, there remain some areas where land is not yet sufficiently dry to graze livestock and there is still a short term demand for fodder.
Upscale Demand
Last week the Irish Farmers’ Association demanded that the government immediately double its fodder import subsidy in response to the fodder shortages as a result of harsh Spring weather.
The IFA called on Minister Creed for the fodder import subsidy to be raised from €60 to €120 per bale and a doubling of the 20,000-tonne limit.
The Minister previously announced the allocation of €1.5 million towards the introduction of a fodder import support measure at the beginning of April after shipments of imported animal feed arrived at Rosslare Harbour.
Milk Price Cuts
Several dairy co-operatives have cut their March milk prices in response to the fodder crisis, including Kerry Group, Glanbia and LacPatrick Dairies.
"We have been seeing over the last few months that farmers have been trying to stretch existing fodder and we have had a very long winter, two storms, a late spring,” Seamus O’Mahoney, head of sales at Dairygold Agri Business, told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland at the time.
© 2018 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Kevin Duggan. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
