Teagasc’s 2022 Crops Cost and Returns booklet is available for view. The publication guides on crop margins, and helps growers budget and plan for the season ahead.
The good news is that despite the rise in inputs, margins are expected to remain positive once reasonable yields are achieved. This is helped by a projected green grain price of €200 for barley, €210 for wheat, €230 for malting barley and €195 for feed oats.
The unknown factor facing growers this year is around nitrogen (N) application rates. As N rates have increased threefold since last year, most growers will reduce rates this season. Determining a crop’s N rate reduction centres on understanding its break even ratio (BER).
Prices used in fertiliser costs are:
CAN plus sulphur (S) at €700/t
13:6:20 at €765/t for spring cereals
10:10:20 at €770/t for winter cereals
50% potassium (K) at €730/t
The margins in the booklet do not include basic or greening payments, and straw prices are based on the Straw Incorporation Scheme for 2022 at €250/ha. It also includes oilseed rape at €150/ha.
For protein crops such as beans/peas, the protein crop subsidy (€3m over 12,000ha = €250/ha) is included. But this payment will be reduced once the national threshold of 12,000ha is breached.
LSL News.