In a small country, the differences can be significant. This week was once again evident. While the straw has more or less disappeared in the south, the harvest in the north is only just getting underway. The summer period also represents a time-out for several processors. Therefore, some byproducts now need to be switched over.
The grain harvest has been spread out over a long period this year. In the south of the Netherlands, as well as in France, it's now more or less complete. In the north of the Netherlands, as well as in large parts of Germany, arable farmers have been able to make a significant profit this week, and the combines and balers are now in operation there as well. This makes it somewhat difficult to establish a national price indication for straw. Where the straw has been harvested, prices are significantly higher than where it still needs to be baled. Roughly speaking, the price for straw in the south is around €150 per tonne. In the north, with a bit of luck, straw can be had for €140 or slightly less if the seller can bring it directly from the field.
The grain and potato processing industries aren't operating at full capacity. This is clearly reflected in the supply of residual flows. It's somewhat tight, according to several suppliers. The supply of feed potatoes is also considerably lower than a few weeks ago. As a livestock farmer, you'll need a bit of luck to snag a load of potatoes from the 2024 harvest. Because the processors aren't yet operating at full capacity, there's little supply of rejected new potatoes. Whether you even want new potatoes now is another matter. "Especially with this kind of weather, they're not easy to keep," says a trader. The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes has risen slightly, reaching €40 per tonne this week.
Brewers' grains remain in sufficient supply. Several traders indicate that supply and demand are nicely balanced, but if necessary, they will make sharp cuts. The DCA Indicative Price has decreased slightly to €3,45 per percent dry matter.
New corn is coming
The 2024 silage maize market is proceeding smoothly. Traders say there's sufficient supply, and finding a buyer for what's available isn't difficult. The DCA Indicative Price for silage maize remains stable at €85 per ton. The harvest of the first new maize is also not far off. It's quite possible that the first plots could be chopped at the end of this month. Overall, the maize is in very good condition, but with a target price for corn on the stem, insiders are still very cautious. "Let's first see if we get a well-filled cob," said one trader.
There's little trade in grass, in any form. For silage, there's mainly some trade between farmers. The first and second cuts were good for most livestock farmers, and although it's becoming dry again, there aren't any major shortages that would require them to turn to the trade. The DCA indicative price for silage is €75 per tonne. Grass seed hay seems to be falling out of favor. There's little trade during the harvest season. Most of the grass seed hay is hauled into the barn by arable farmers or forage traders. The DCA indicative price for grass seed hay is €150 per tonne. For meadow hay, trade remains primarily limited to horse owners. If it remains dry for the rest of the week, there could still be some supply of freshly harvested hay. The DCA indicative price for meadow hay that can be fed directly is €180 per tonne.