Laois tillage farmers 'maddened' by Tirlán offer to cope with weather

Big grain buyers like Tirlán mus show the same support to tillage farmers as they have done for other farmers such as those in the dairy sector, according to the Irish Grain Growers chairman.

The Government has already agreed to a €100 h/a due to the bad weather and Bobby Miller the industry must do the same.
He said tillage farmers have asked for help from companies like Tirlán but the response has not been forthcoming.

“It just is not recognising the need of their tillage suppliers. They have responded to their dairy suppliers with a financial aid package but the response from industry has been far from sufficient. They need to revisit it. It has actually maddened farmers", he said.

He was speaking to the Leinster Express / Laois Live after Tirlán announced an advance tillage payment worth about €3,500 to average grain suppliers. The payment is €15/tonne for growers.

The company is offering an extended period of interest-free credit on fertiliser for crops.

But the Stradbally man says this is not enough and it did not represent financial support. He described what was put on the table and an offer to give farmers their own money three months in advance.

“We give out about the Government but where is the support from those who buy our product,” he said.

Mr Miller said Laois is at the heart Tirlán and the fair thing for the company to do was offer a forward harvest price for some of the grains.

He said as a co-operative Tirlán should operate a level playing field and give equal financial support as provided to farmers in other sectors who have also deserved the support of industry.