The roughage market is not exactly going through a storm. The regular work continues, but otherwise it is not busy. The first and second cuts are grass and the silage and for the straw trade it is still just a bit early.
The trade in by-products and residual products is continuing well, according to forage traders. Most livestock farmers have their spring/summer rations in order and do not want to shift too much. The demand for by-products is therefore stable. There are some changes on the supply side. This is due to maintenance stops at various processing industries. In particular, the range of potato products such as steam peels and chips is a bit on the tight side. The DCA Indication Price for feed potatoes will remain the same as last week at €50 per ton. The supply of spent grains remains fairly stable and the price of this also remains the same at € 3,55 per percent dry matter.
The trade in silage grass is difficult. Livestock farmers offer very little grass from the new crop. Fear of a long dry period in the summer means that livestock farmers are cautious about selling new grass silage. A pothole from the previous season is easier to get hold of. The quality just varies quite a bit. For good silage, the DCA Indication Price is €75 per tonne. The maize trade is also calm. The demand is there, but the supply is scarce. The DCA Indication Price remains the same at €85 per tonne.
Waiting for the new harvest
The straw trade is tame at the moment. Several traders still have a stock of the 2021 harvest in the barn and are working it out first. The first barley straw of the new crop from France is already on the market, but not yet in large quantities. For both wheat and barley straw from the old crop, the DCA Indication Price remains at €130 per tonne. For barley straw from the new, about €5 is added.
The hay trade also has yet to get going. The weather is not good for the extraction of meadow hay and therefore there is not an excessive amount of supply. On the other hand, especially in Germany, there is still a relatively large supply of hay from the old harvest. The DCA Indication Price this week amounts to €175 per tonne. There is hardly any trade in grass seed hay. Most livestock farmers are waiting for the new harvest. The DCA Indication Price ranges from €130 to €140 per ton depending on the variety and insofar as there is trade.