Farm gate price rise needed to compensate for grain price increases
01 May 2007
Jim Allister MEP is concerned that the increase in the price of grain on the global market will have a detrimental impact on Northern Ireland livestock farmers. Jim Allister believes that the recent price rises will impact on the profitability of the intensive sector and urgent farm gate price rises are needed to compensate for the rise in grain prices.
Jim Allister commented, “Currently the price of grain is spiralling both on the local and World market with prices for some products having increased by more than 50% compared to this time last year. Although this is good news for the Northern Ireland cereal sector, it is starting to have a real impact for livestock farmers in Northern Ireland, particularly those in the intensive sector.
Jim Allister believes that it is now vital for farm gate prices to rise to compensate for the increase in the price of grain. “Northern Ireland farmers need a rise in farm gate prices to compensate for the recent hike in the price of grain. Although the pig and poultry sector will feel the pain over the short term it will have an impact on the whole of the Northern Ireland livestock sector. Many beef finishers, who did not get rewarded for finishing beef over this winter, will question finishing beef next year. Unless there is a significant rise in the farm gate milk price, diary farmers will also be hard hit by grain price increases."
