Farmers say harvest is a disaster

Updated: 22:16, Tuesday, 25 August 2009

This year's harvest is turning into a disaster, according to farmers because of bad weather, high costs and an international oversupply of grain.

1 of 1Harvest - Crops are now ripe
Harvest - Crops are now ripe

Normally about two-thirds of the harvest would be saved by now, but only one-third of this year's crop is in and the figure is as low as 10% in some counties.

This week is crucial for saving the harvest. Crops are now ripe and any further delays due to the bad weather are likely to cause the quality of the corn to deteriorate.

IFA Grain Committee Chairman Colum McDonnell said farmers expect to lose about €200 an acre.

There has been a drop of 100,000 acres this year in the amount of land under tillage following last year's poor returns.

Mr McDonnell warned more farmers will leave grain production over the next few months.

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