Tillage Sector: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2025-10-15
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Michael Collins (II), Cork South-West

I have been requesting statements on tillage for the past few weeks. I acknowledge the Chief Whip for her help in making sure we got a chance to speak on behalf of Ireland's tillage farmers. It is an essential yet increasingly vulnerable part of our agricultural landscape. The tillage sector is in crisis. For the third consecutive year, farmers are facing financial losses. Despite their resilience and commitment to sustainable practices the economic reality is stark and unsustainable. The facts are the sale price of barley in 2025 is between €185 and €195 per tonne at 20% moisture, which has barely changed from prices seen in 1985. That means that 40 years on, we are looking at the same prices.
Yet, the cost of production has skyrocketed. Fertiliser prices, for example, range from €410 to €440 per tonne for calcium ammonium nitrate, CAN, and crop protection costs have risen by 4% in 2025 alone following increases of 20% in 2022 and 9% in 2023. Machinery costs account for 25% or 30% of total growing costs, while fuel and seed prices remain volatile.
Despite these challenges, Teagasc forecasts a 40% increase in tillage incomes in 2025, bringing the average to €42,000, but this is still below the national average farm income of €48,500, and much of the increase is attributed to subsidiary livestock enterprises, not crop production. These figures do not reflect profitability; they reflect survival. The gross margins for spring barley are forecast to increase by just €85 per hectare while costs remain high. Farmers are calling for a minimum subsidy of €250 per hectare to remain viable. Last year, Fine Gael pledged €60 million annually for the tillage sector, which equates to €175 per hectare over five years, yet budget 2026 has allocated only €50 million falling short of the commitment and the sector's needs.
Let us not forget the environmental value of tillage farmers. Irish tillage systems have one of the lowest carbon footprints in agriculture, producing just 1.9 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per ha on average. Farmers are incorporating straw in the soil, growing cover crops and improving nitrogen efficiency, which all contributes to climate goals. Moreover, Irish grain offers exclusive sourcing and is traceable and sustainable, yet millers and feed compounders continue to rely heavily on imports with 4 million to 5 million tonnes of feed ingredients imported annually, compared with 2 million tonnes of native grain produced. We must incentivise the use of Irish grain to reduce our carbon footprint and support local producers.
If we fail to act now, we risk losing a generation of tillage farmers. The consequences will be severe, including increased reliance on inferior imports, loss of rural employment and a setback in our climate ambitions. I urge the Government to deliver the full €60 million annual support as pledged, introduce a €250 per hectare subsidy to ensure viability, create incentives for millers and feed companies to prioritise Irish grain and expand environmental schemes that reward sustainable practices. We need to give these farmers the funds they need to survive. That is the long and the short of it.
I have serious concern for farmers in Clonakilty, Bandon, Kilbrittain, Ballinadee, Ballinspittle, Kinsale, Innishannon, Halfway and out the Airport Road. These are farmers in my constituency, but I also have serious concern for farmers throughout the country who are fighting for their very survival. We have a serious problem in the dairy sector with the drop in the price of meat. This is just another issue that needs to be addressed. For now, we need the tillage farmers to be protected. The Minister is the only one who can do it and I would appreciate if he would make that effort.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-10-15/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:13+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-10-15