Inside Enter
Maize supply under the spell of wetness on the feed market
The wet weather of the past few weeks has once again penetrated the feed market. The last cornfields are waiting to be harvested and grassland has regained its growth. African swine fever is currently hardly noticeable on the market, while the corona crisis does seem to be playing tricks.
Read this article?
Become a subscriber and get instant access
Choose the subscription that suits you
The rainy weather comes up several times in conversations with traders. The feed market changes depending on the weather, so that is not surprising. The supply of corn in particular is experiencing 'problems' due to the rain. Most of the corn has been removed from the land, but in some places there are still some plots waiting to be harvested. It varies per region whether the rain has an influence or not.
While the corn dried out in places earlier this season, the rain is now causing new growth in some plots. The offer is not bad at the moment, but it is possible that something more will come out. Demand is relatively stable at the moment. The price remains at an average of €55 per tonne free at farm, or between €1,50 and €1,60 per percent dry matter.
More rain and corona
The grass also benefits from the rain. In many places the grassland has resumed growth for as long as it lasts. Yet the rain does not change the supply or demand and there is no noticeable change in the price of grass silage on the feed market. Supply is still tight, demand remains stable and the price still remains unclear and dependent on the batch offered. A silage with an optimal dry matter content (around 35%) costs easily €65 per tonne.
Furthermore, some rumbling can be heard on the spent grain market. The price remains the same at €2,60 per percent dry matter. Traders indicate that they see supply declining, while demand is still very strong. As a result, the waiting time for a shipment of spent grains continues to increase. The corona crisis is also expected to have a hand here now that the catering industry has again been imposed restrictions by the government. It is not an annual phenomenon that supply decreases around this time of year and that the price will therefore ultimately respond to this. It is unknown whether the loss of sales in the catering industry will be offset by sales in the supermarket.
10 euros extra
This week, meadow hay recorded a price increase from €10 to an average of €190 per tonne. The increase has no specific cause. Demand appears to be cautiously increasing slightly, while supply remains unchanged.
In grass seed hay, perennial ryegrass predominates because after a considerable period of stability, the price, like meadow hay, increases by €10 to €130 per tonne. Here too, the harvest has been disappointing or rained out in many places, making the supply limited.
Known stability
For the other products, known or unknown stability prevails. Straw is available, the price remains at €130 per tonne free at the farm for both barley straw and wheat straw. Despite the fact that the new harvest is disappointing, the majority of traders indicate that they still have supply. However, they admit that this is expected to become less and less. The question is a bit tame, so that doesn't cause any problems.
The other prices remain stable, as do supply and demand. The same applies to feed potatoes. Virtually no supply, a stable price at €40 per tonne and minimal demand. Click here to stay informed of all prices.
*All prices are per tonne delivered to the yard, except spent grain (per percent dry matter delivered to the yard)