Sir, – Amid the ongoing discussion about rising food prices, I believe it is important to correct a common misconception: native Irish grain is not contributing to food inflation.
In fact, grain prices in Ireland have fallen significantly over the past year, leaving many tillage farmers selling below the cost of production.
Irish-grown cereals, such as barley, wheat and oats, make up only a small portion of the final cost of many food products. Yet, tillage farmers are often caught up in broad, inaccurate claims about agriculture’s role in food inflation. This is both misleading and deeply unfair to a sector already under considerable financial strain.
Rather than being part of the problem, Ireland’s grain growers are in fact victims of the current world market conditions. They provide a vital domestic feed source with excellent sustainability credentials, yet are struggling to remain viable. Ireland imported over five million tonnes of feedstuffs for our livestock, pig and poultry industries in 2024, over 70 per cent sourced from outside the European Union, of which over 50 per cent was genetically modified feedstuffs.
RM Block
With the Mercosur deal now being discussed in the media, I want to highlight the fact that nearly one million tonne of feedstuffs were imported into Ireland in 2024, and a similar figure in 2023, from these Mercosur countries. If we are opposed to food from these countries for environmental credential reasons, why are we not opposed to feed from the same sources? Is this not a hypocritical stance?
We, as Irish growers, continuously question the husbandry and environmental sustainability standards of feedstuffs sourced from outside the EU. We highlight the unbalanced playing field we have to commercially compete in, including genetically modified technology that we are banned from using in Ireland.
If we are serious about food security, climate targets, and supporting rural economies, then the tillage sector must be recognised and supported appropriately – not scapegoated in the food inflation debate.
Do your readers want native Irish grain and pulses in their food chain or genetically modified omports? Currently they are getting both. – Yours, etc,
BOBBY MILLER,
Joint secretary of the Irish Grain Growers Group,
Stradbally,
Co Laois.
