Grain Council Report November 2025

Market Report 

Global grain markets remain bearish with no significant supporting factors at present. This is due to adequate supplies globally. The International Grains Council has increased global wheat production for 2025/26 by 8.8 million tonnes, with rising ending stocks. Some of this has come via a significant recovery in EU wheat production year-on-year. Additionally, estimates for the Russian wheat crop are much better than expected earlier in the year. 

Native grain prices have been announced since the last report. The two largest Co-ops, Tirlan and Dairygold paid base prices, before applicable trading bonuses, of €180 and €183/t for green feed barley respectively, with prices for feed wheat +€10/t on top of these prices for barley. There have been extremely limited announcements on grain prices from the larger private grain merchants, with some variation in prices paid in different areas of the country. 

Activity since last National Council 02.09.25

• IFA Tillage Crisis meeting was organised on September 12^th in Naas. Over 1000 tillage farmers and industry representatives attended. Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon TD addressed the crowd on the night. 
• The National Grain Chair addressed the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture session on the challenges facing the tillage sector on October 1^st. 
• A meeting with Tirlan was organised on October 3^rd in Kilkenny to discuss the harvest of 2025 and grain pricing.
• Meetings were held with Dairygold management in Mitchelstown to discuss the harvest of 2025 and grain pricing. 
• A Grain Committee briefing was held on October 8^th to discuss tillage supports from Budget 2026.
• A meeting was held with the Irish Seed Trade Association in Portlaoise on October 15^th. 
• A National Grain Committee meeting was held on Thursday October 23^rd.

EU/COPA developments

• National Grain Chair Kieran McEvoy and policy executive Max Potterton, participated in the COPA COGECA Cereals and Oilseeds working party in Brussels on September 15^th.
• Policy Executive Max Potterton prepared a submission for the EU Commission’s Food and Feed Safety simplification proposals.

Upcoming Activities 

• The National Grain and Mushroom committee chairs will meet to discuss straw policy.
• IFA will attend an in-person meeting of Tillage Industry Ireland in Co. Wexford. 
• A meeting with Ulster Farmers Union Cereal representatives will take place to discuss common sectoral issues. 
• National Grain Chair Kieran McEvoy and policy executive Max Potterton will participate in the COPA COGECA Cereals and Oilseeds working party in Brussels in December.