It is not the busiest time of year in the forage trade. There are some shifts under the surface. The demand for by-products remains good, but the supply is also there.
The DCA Indicative Price for brewers grains remains the same at €3,70 per percent dry matter. According to suppliers, demand remains high, but this can still be met. Production at breweries is starting to increase. There is relatively high demand for brewers grains, because protein is added to compensate for less protein in the grass.
The DCA Indicative Price for silage maize remains the same at €85 per tonne, considering the newer pits from around September and October. "Nice pits", says an insider, while another also points out the good quality, but does not forget that there may also be late-sown maize among them. The starch content of that could well be lower, it is said. According to a trader, now that the holidays are behind us for a while, the trade in maize is picking up.
The DCA Indicative Price for wheat and barley straw remains stable this week at €175 per ton. Prices are tending to increase somewhat according to various traders. The supply of good straw is not overflowing and arable farmers are still keeping the barn doors closed.
The DCA Indicative Price for grass seed hay remains the same, at €180 per ton. Supply remains scarce and there is little trading in general. The DCA Indicative Price for meadow hay drops with the market this week to €190 per ton. All in all, trading is said to be calm and should continue at normal speeds.
The DCA Indicative Price for silage grass remains the same, at €80 per ton. That price is moving towards the better quality. As far as silage grass is concerned, not everyone views the market the same. Roughly speaking, there is sufficient supply and little demand in the north, while in the south the more intensive companies are buyers of good grass from a first or second cut.
The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes remains the same at €50 per tonne, with the remark that there is little trade. Just like in recent weeks, the industry is taking a lot of potatoes. Smaller lots of sorted seed potatoes are what the feed has to rely on.