Kilmacthomas based tillage farmer Bill Shanahan says this year’s fine harvesting weather has been a rare positive in what remains a deeply challenging time for Ireland’s tillage sector.

Speaking from his farm in Kilmacthomas, Shanahan told WLR Farmview presenter Kieran O’Connor that winter barley came a week earlier than expected and was “an absolute pleasure” to cut in dry, settled conditions. While some crops met expectations, he says many growers are reporting yields down by about half a tonne per acre.

Shanahan’s own contracted crops this year are spring barley for roasting and spring oats, much of which goes to long-time local buyer Flahavan’s. He praised the county’s tradition of oat growing, describing Flahavan’s as “an integral part of farming in County Waterford” and noting the generations of experience with the crop in central Waterford.

However, he warned that the wider tillage industry is “in a pretty sticky place”, citing high input costs, difficulty accessing leased land, and poor product prices. Recent Teagasc forecasts of average tillage farm incomes dropping from €54,000 to €44,000 underline that pressure.

One relative bright spot is oilseed rape, which Shanahan says is “the only crop that the price per tonne is attractive this year” and has given some growers “a bit of a leg up”.

He also stressed the importance of crop rotation with cereals, oilseed rape, beans, beet and maize to protect soil health and control weeds and pests.

Straw demand remains solid, with Shanahan expecting to sell out again this year, though he fears some spring crops on free-draining soils will disappoint after recent high temperatures and drying conditions.