by PressIreland has increased the production of forage corn
Forage corn production has become more attractive to Irish farmers
Farmers in Ireland this season plan to increase the production of forage corn. For this purpose, they have expanded the area under the crop by 15%.
Traditionally, forage corn in the country is grown on 40 thousand acres of land, but after the introduction of an incentive program from the government, producers decided to increase the area. The Irish line ministry announced the start of support for farmers, which includes the payment of 400 euros for each hectare planted. This news caused a stir among farmers, and the demand for seeds increased sharply. Local suppliers cannot keep up with all the orders and are actively looking for new vendors. Complicating the situation is the problem of seed importation from Great Britain, so producers are planning to establish additional supplies from France.
Forage corn is grown in 28 counties in Ireland. These regions are excellent for crop production, and there is an opportunity to expand plantings.
It should be noted that in the season 2021/2022 there was a decrease in global corn production by 1.6 million tons compared with the previous period. In total it was possible to collect a little more than 1205 million tons of the crop. A decrease in production entailed a decrease in volumes of trade and world stocks.
The reduction is due to unfavorable weather conditions at major suppliers. For example, Brazil recorded a low first corn harvest, which was caused by drought. A critical decrease in precipitation amid high temperatures significantly reduced the volume of crops in Paraguay. Part of the loss was compensated by increased corn production in the Philippines, but this did not solve the problem completely. As a result last marketing year the world stocks amounted to 302.2 million tons, which is 0.9 million tons less than in the previous season. Analysts believe the numbers will rise this season, as high crops are forecast in Argentina and several other countries.
Things are less rosy in the pork sector in Ireland. Since the beginning of 2022, it has lost more than 54 million euros. According to the results from the national profile committee, the damage to the average complex of 600 sows during this period was 206,000 euros. One factor in the decline in income is the increase in the price of pig feed. The cost of raw materials increased by 50 euros to 449 euros per ton, an increase of 40% for the year. Analysts predict that in the near future prices will rise by 20-30 euros. At the same time, the cost of pork increased by 26 cents per kilogram, but such an increase could not significantly improve the situation.