The supply of straw from the fields is almost finished. Most forage traders don't have much time for rest, as the corn harvest is just around the corner.
The 2025 growing season is being billed as an "early year." An early harvest also seems to be the case for silage maize. The first plots are gradually being harvested. The trade in standing maize has yet to get underway. Prices being mentioned are primarily those for which people would be willing to do something, but for which no concrete trade has (yet) taken place. Sellers are betting on €2.000 and higher per hectare, while buyers are quick to quote prices a few hundred euros lower.
Buyer's market
Which way things will go is, of course, difficult to predict. On average, corn production in the Netherlands is good. Due to buyback programs, a considerable number of livestock farmers have, of course, stopped farming. Some of these are dairy farmers who still use the land and have also sown corn for sale. Due to a decline in pig farming, demand for CCM could also be lower compared to previous years. This eliminates the backup for dual-purpose breeds. In this light, corn looks like a real buyer's market in the coming weeks.
The trade in maize from the 2024 harvest is somewhat chaotic. Some livestock farmers have leftovers they want to get rid of quickly to clear the silage pit for the new harvest, while others want to order a few loads to bridge the weeks until the new maize is preserved. Last year, there were significant quality differences in the maize, and this is now reflected in the maize being traded. Depending on quality and transport distance, prices range from €70 and less to €90 and more per tonne delivered to the silage pit. The DCA Indicative Price for maize has dropped slightly to €80 per tonne.
The peak of the straw trade is now over. In the north of the country, there are still some cleats that need to be collected, but otherwise, the off-farm trade is more or less over. The DCA price for wheat straw is €150 per tonne. Barley straw is €5 lower. Several forage traders do indicate that they expect the price of straw to rise slightly in the short term when they have to start buying straw from the barn.
Potato processors are not running at full capacity
The by-products market is a bit volatile. Potato by-products from the French fry industry are certainly scarce. Processors aren't operating at full capacity, and only top-quality potatoes are being processed. As a result, steam peels and chips are in limited supply. The supply of feed potatoes is also limited. The old harvest has largely been cleared, and harvesting potatoes now just to send them straight to feed for free is too much for many arable farmers. The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes is €40 per tonne, delivered free of charge. Brewers' grains remain unchanged at €3,45 per percent dry matter.
The potato starch campaign is about to begin. The first large batch of campaign products will be available at the end of this week. The beet campaign will have to wait a little longer. Cosun will start processing beets on September 8th.
silage
There's little trade in grass in general. In silage, there's mainly some trade between farmers, often in bales. If traders do sell loose grass, they're usually the more intensive farms that buy extra year-round. The DCA indicative price for silage is €75 per ton, delivered free to the farm. There's virtually no trade in grass seed hay. Livestock farmers who prefer to feed grass seed hay have been buying from the field in recent weeks, and it's still too early for delivery from the barn. The DCA indicative price remains stable at €150 per ton. Meadow hay is also a quiet market. The price remains unchanged at €180 per ton.