It is not really busy in the forage trade. Here and there some grass is cleared by traders and the first corn is chopped. However, we have to wait until the corn harvest really starts.
Due to the warm and dry weather of the past few days, some plots of corn that had already grown a long way have ripened somewhat more quickly. However, many plots still need a few weeks. In the corn trade it is still mainly a matter of feeling at the moment. Some business has been done from farmer to farmer, but trade is still somewhat quiet. Traders are therefore careful when quoting prices. It is mainly hearsay or asking prices that are doing the rounds. At a glance, prices are somewhere between €2.500 to €3.000 per hectare. For corn from the old harvest that can be fed immediately, the DCA Indication Price is €100 per tonne, but there is little trade in this.
There is also limited trade in grass. A lot of grass has been won in recent days/weeks, but enthusiasm for selling is limited. It is better to be shy than to be shy, various livestock farmers argue. This also plays a role in maize. The DCA Indicative Price for silage is €85 per tonne.
By-products flow well
By-products easily find their way onto the feed market. Beer spent grain is a fixed value for solid feed and the market is nicely balanced. The DCA Indicative Price therefore remains the same at €3,90 per percent dry matter. Demand for products for covering silages is good, but some traders note that experience shows that some livestock farmers only order at the last minute. Feed potatoes are and remain difficult to obtain, even now that the potato price has fallen sharply. It's a bit of a giveaway, so the price range is quite wide. The DCA Indicative Price nevertheless remains stable at €60 per tonne.
There is and remains limited trade in hay. Good meadow hay is priced at €190 per tonne, but several traders indicate that large volumes are not being sold. With grass seed hay it is mainly the supply that is somewhat restrictive. A lot of chopping took place due to the changeable weather. Livestock farmers who like to feed grass seed hay have largely succeeded in the summer. It is still a bit early for delivery from the shed. The DCA Indicative Price for all varieties is €150 per tonne.
Even with straw, the ex-field/yard period is as good as over. The regular work at companies that buy year-round continues, but otherwise it is quiet. The DCA Indicative Price for wheat straw is €125 per tonne. Most traders charge €5 more for barley straw.