Tirlán Confirms Grain Pricing For Harvest 2023

Tirlán has continued to focus and invest in expanding its premium grains portfolio, with a doubling of the area of gluten-free oats in 2023, resulting in an increase of almost 5,000 tonnes in crop intake. 

Commenting on the grain price announcement, Tirlán Chairperson John Murphy said the Board had sought to recognise the commitment of growers to delivering quality grain in a challenging year. 

“In light of the difficult harvest for growers and the higher input costs, our pricing for Harvest 2023 has been set at a higher price point than what is currently being reflected in the markets.

“We have also sought to continue to bring value to our premium grains portfolio through our Innovation Centre, with a new Avonmore Oats Drink brought to the marketplace this year and further ingredient solutions across the plant-based category.”

Trading Bonus 

The 2023 Trading Bonus Scheme of €10/t for Members’ has been extended to apply to all grain supplied, including from non-Co-op members. This is subject to minimum tillage input purchase criteria. John Murphy said this was in recognition of the difficult year that growers have experienced. 

Seán Molloy, Chief Ingredients and Agri Officer, said Tirlán was committed to evolving the portfolio and developing opportunities for premium grains to deliver additional value for growers.

“Tirlán would like to compliment our growers of quality grains and our premium contracted portfolio for their attention to detail across the season. This ensured that the majority of target tonnages for our premium crops were achieved.

“We recognise the difficulties that growers faced across 2023, with both weather and the high cost operating environment creating challenges across the growing season. While there were some disappointing results on individual farms, overall, many growers’ yields and quality were in line with five-year averages.”

As the largest buyer and user of Irish grains, John Kealy, Head of Grains, said that Tirlán’s grains team had begun working with grain growers in 2023 to assess regenerative agriculture practices on farms and the sustainability credentials of the premium portfolio. 

“For Harvest 2023, Tirlán will again pay growers almost €3 million in additional bonuses specifically for premium grains. This is worth on average an additional €47/t on premium grain volumes or €16/t on all green grain volumes.”

Harvest Prices 2023

Pricing for Harvest 2023 has been confirmed with €205/t for green feed barley and €215/t for green feed wheat. 

The premium grains prices reflect bonuses paid above feed grain prices, with €245/t being paid for gluten-free oats, €225/t for contracted winter barley and €465/t for HEAR oilseed rape. There was regular forward pricing available across the season, with an attractive forward price of €280/t for beans available to growers for a number of months after the crop was sown. 

John Kealy said the overall green intake was back in line with the wider marketplace and reflective of the challenging season at around 180,000 tonnes.

Note: Composite price per tonne includes standard transport allowance for delivery to drying locations. Price is inclusive of the 2023 Trading Bonus Scheme of €10/t that will apply to all grain, oilseed rape and beans subject to minimum tillage input purchases.