With harvesting underway in many areas around the country, AgriLand decided to find out what agricultural contractors are charging for cutting cereal crops in 2017.
Different quotes were given, depending on services provided and machines on the ground.
In Co. Cork, the price given by a contractor was €60 plus VAT per acre. However, this figure also included haulage (of the grain) of up to 8 miles.
Image source: Shane Casey
Meanwhile, in Co. Tipperary, the price quoted was €50 plus VAT per acre for the combine (harvester) and operator. Haulage worked out at €40 plus VAT (about €45 including VAT) per hour, per tractor hauling.
Image source: Shane Casey
Combine harvesting is well underway in some parts of the country, with crops ripening up to a week earlier than last year. Grain merchants are busy on the weighbridges, with tillage farmers bringing in crops of winter barley.
Overall grain quality is good and merchants are pleased with low moisture levels.
Glanbia Ballyhale, Co. Kilkenny received its first load of winter barley on July 12 – a week earlier than last year – and only three or four more loads are expected.
Yields are approximately 3.5t/ac, with moisture very low at 14-17% – making for easy handling.
Speaking to AgriLand, a Glanbia representative said quality is excellent and bushel weights are all over 60. Regarding prices, nothing has been settled on at the moment, he said.
Image source: Shane Casey
Quinns of Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow expects to be finished with winter barley at the end of the week; harvesting will then turn to winter oats and oilseed rape crops.
While yields are slightly back, moisture is low and grain quality is very good. The Wicklow-based merchant is seeing high bushel weights of 68-69. No price has been settled at the present time, as it is still very early in the season, a company representative said.
Harvesting has just kicked off in the last few days, according to Liffey Mills in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, with a pick-up in winter barley deliveries being seen this week.
The Tipperary-based merchant reports varied yields of 3-4t/ac and fairly good grain quality and bushel weights of 64-66.
