Inside: Feed market
The battle for straw is now really breaking loose
There is currently a fight over straw, various traders report. There is also a lot of demand for feed potatoes. How far will prices get now that stocks are running out?
Would you like to continue reading this article?
Become a subscriber and get instant access
Choose the subscription that suits youTraders agree that there is too little straw available. This leads to high prices (€150 to €160 per tonne of wheat or barley straw, free of charge). The price thus definitively breaks through the limit €150 per tonne. About 2 months Previously, straw was still sold for €135 to €140 per ton, free of charge. Cut straw is on average €10 more expensive per ton, but is no longer available from many Dutch traders.
The idea is that there is more than enough straw available in Spain. A tricky point is that transport from Southern Europe becomes difficult and, above all, very expensive.
Ask about feed potatoes
The trade in feed potatoes is also not at a standstill. Dairy farmers like to buy the product because it combines well with the large quantities of grass that are available. The prices of feed potatoes fluctuate around €25 and €30 per ton, free of charge. The price also tends to increase rather than decrease. The supply of feed potatoes is decreasing now that the end of the storage season is approaching.
Not all dairy farmers report to the buyer's front, because a number of them have plenty of feed. This has particular consequences for the price of silage maize, which has shown a small decline. On average, more than €55 is paid for a ton of silage maize (free of charge).
By-products cheaper
Prices for spent grains also show a decline; especially in the south. Where there are many breweries, the price is lower. Business is done here between €2 and €2,30 per percent of dry matter. In the Northern Netherlands, the price is approaching €2,45 per percent dry matter. Potato press fiber is difficult to sell and is considered expensive (approximately €29 per tonne).
There is little trade in structural products. There is little supply, because the harvest in Denmark has partly failed. This led to Red Fescue and Tall Fescue being sold out in many cases. When sales do take place, it goes for around €150 per tonne. Pasture hay is sold for prices ranging from €165 to €180 per tonne. It is exciting to see whether the connection with the new grass season will be achieved, now that spring is arriving a little late. 
The price for meadow hay shows an increasing trend.