The price of straw is slowly rising, as has been customary in recent years. Demand from Germany in particular is increasing. On the other hand, the grass price is falling. That is the result of an abundant supply.
The price of straw is rising. Up to €100 per tonne is paid for wheat straw from storage. The average price for large bales of wheat straw fluctuates around €85 per tonne, depending on the region.
High demand from Germany
In the north of the Netherlands, the price is pushed up by demand from Germany. However, despite the heavy rainfall, no more than €100 per tonne is paid in Germany.
This is also because there is a sufficient supply of good straw from France. The harvest is also going well in Denmark, despite the changeable weather in August. The kilo yield in the Netherlands is sometimes somewhat disappointing, due to local drought. The trend also pushes for extra organic matter (OS) to add to the soil by chopping straw, the supply.
Sugar beet campaign has started
In general, the growing season is going well this year. This leads to a wide range of arable crops and related by-products. Even the potato harvest is turning out well, despite the threat of the opposite in June.
The sugar beet campaign starts on September 11. That is earlier than normal, because an abundant harvest is expected. However, the abundant harvest will not put much pressure on the price. Since most potato waste flows and pressed pulp are contractually recorded.
The abundant harvest year means that virtually nothing is paid for standing grass. At most, the costs of fodder extraction will be reimbursed in the near future. Naturally, this also has a price-depressing effect on grass seed hay and meadow hay.
Abundant harvest
Corn growers are advised to chop higher, so that the nutritional value increases and extra OS is left behind. The last kilo yield is no longer so important, given the abundant harvest expectations and the large proportion of grass. Undoubtedly, an abundant harvest of silage maize will also lead to a higher supply of MKS and CCM on the sandy soils in the south and east of the Netherlands.
However, this requires adjustments to the harvesting machinery. The choice for silage maize or a drier product can only be made as the harvest time approaches in the first weeks of September.