Drought in Ireland threatens yield and increases costs for farmers

July of this year became the driest in Ireland's recorded history: 20 Met Éireann weather stations recorded instances of "absolute drought." Unfavorable weather conditions have negatively affected both the state of the fields and the economic situation of farms. In the crop production sector, there is a decline in harvest volumes, as the heat causes crops to mature ahead of schedule. John Murphy, chairman of the IFA's national grain committee, noted that grain production costs have increased by 35% this summer. In his opinion, low yields in Europe may prompt retailers to raise prices in stores, but for the farmers themselves, this will not bring benefits until next year. He characterizes the situation in the industry as unprofitable and points to an outflow of personnel from the sector. Vegetable growers are experiencing similar problems: Niall McCormack, chairman of the IFA fruit and vegetable committee, reported that the yield of non-irrigated crops has dropped by 60%, and that of irrigated crops by 20%. Farmers are forced to incur additional costs for irrigation, which creates critical pressure on farm budgets. Livestock farmers have also faced difficulties: due to a shortage of pasture feed, farmers are forced to use winter silage stocks and purchase additional concentrates. Mark Connors, IFA head in Waterford, expressed concerns regarding a possible shortage of feed in the winter if the weather does not normalize. He urged the government to consider compensating for transport costs for feed delivery in the event of a shortage. Representatives of the agricultural community, including Paul Lawless (TD from the Aontú party), the IFA President, the Department of Agriculture, and members of the Fianna Fáil agricultural team, have launched an initiative to resume the work of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee. The Department of Agriculture acknowledged that the current drought is having a significant impact on grass growth, especially in the southern and eastern regions. The department is awaiting the results of a large-scale study on the state of the feed base from Teagasc, which should be available later this month. The ministry emphasized that further support for farmers will depend on budgetary allocations. In addition to weather factors, production costs are also affected by fuel price dynamics linked to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.