The sun is shining, the mercury is rising and the land is starting to dry up. However, it is certainly not yet said that we will get an early spring. Livestock farmers who are somewhat on the meager side in roughage therefore remain on the market, according to forage traders. It is not busy, but what becomes available, for example in good silage grass or beautiful maize, quickly finds a destination.
The mood on the roughage market is steady. Good silage is difficult to obtain and by-products are also becoming scarcer. The relatively high prices hardly seem to deter buyers.
The availability of by-products is a problem for traders here and there. The availability of potato products does not stop there and the supply of spent grains has also been better. Waiting times are increasing and some suppliers have to make every effort to keep regular supplies supplied. The DCA Indicative Price for spent grain has increased this week to €4,20 per percent dry matter. Feed potatoes are also difficult to obtain. "The processing industry can use almost everything and there is almost nothing left over for feed," according to a trader. The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes remains stable at €60 per tonne.
Quality is sought after
Good silage has been difficult to obtain all winter long and that will not change now. Livestock farmers hardly offer anything and what is offered is often of lower quality. The market is partly served by farmers who stop. An indicative price for grass silage is difficult to determine due to the limited number of transactions and large differences in quality, but €90 is charged for the better silages. Due to the limited availability of silage, more people are turning to hay. The DCA Indicative Price for grass seed hay ranges from €145 to €155 per tonne depending on the variety. Meadow hay is quite expensive, partly due to the high transport costs. Some traders get hay from Germany and the trucks have to be paid for. The DCA Indicative Price for meadow hay is €190 per tonne.
The straw trade is stable. Supply and demand are reasonably in balance and the DCA Indicative Price remains the same as last week at €145 per tonne. The trade in corn also shows little change. Several traders still have some in reserve, but in general the availability of good corn is limited. The DCA Indicative Price for corn this week amounts to €105 per tonne.