There is a variety of prices being quoted around the country for a roll of silage wrap, with factors such as brand, colour and supplier all impacting on cost.
The average price for a standard roll of silage wrap (750mm x 1500m film), following a quick phone around, appears to be in the region of €83 including VAT.
Some suppliers said that colour played a role in pricing, with white and green wrap costing slightly more (in some areas) than standard black wrap. Other suppliers said that colour had no bearing on price.Â
Understandably, pink silage wrap – the aim of which is to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society and other cancer charities – was slightly more expensive due to the donation factor. Pink film was typically priced at between €80 and €88 per roll.
Image source: Shane Casey
Rolls of Silotite plastic exhibited a relatively modest variation in pricing, ranging from €80 to €86 in some places. Volac rolls were also costing €80-€86.
Silawrap was slightly more expensive, according to the suppliers we spoke to. It typically costs €85 to €86 per roll.
The big dairy co-op’s own brands were quoting at between €78 and €86, depending on the individual brand.
A roll of Dairygold wrap costs €84; a pallet with 40 rolls on board is priced at €3,320 – working out at €83 per roll. That price was from the online-based Co-Op Superstores.
Kerry Group is charging €78 for its standard own-brand wrap, with pink rolls of wrap available for €80 each.
Glanbia, Lakeland Dairies and Centenary Co-Op all quoted a price of €82 for a standard black roll of own-brand plastic.
In addition to its brand Mastercrop, Glanbia also supplies Coveris rolls for the same price of €82. The company also has a new brand coming in at a cheaper price of €78, but little is known yet about this product.
Bandon Co-Op supplies own-brand plastic for €86, while Aurivo sells Silawrap plastic for €86 also.
Image source: Shane Casey
With regard to buying bale wrap by the pallet, merchants typically told us that individual deals are often done when buying in bulk, depending on the quantities involved.
If pallets are bought using cash rather than credit, price reductions of €2 per roll are offered by some merchants.
One supplier mentioned that there are strong rumours that bale wrap will become more expensive over the coming months, due to “rising costs”.
Some suppliers suggested how many bales a roll of silage wrap should typically cover. The estimates ranged from 28 to 32 bales per roll, based on four layers per bale (rather than six). Some stated that a roll of wrap would do 21 to 23 bales if extra coverage is needed for each bale, as is recommended in some quarters.
