Irish malting barley could become less profitable than feed barley

Irish malting barley growers risk earning lower margins than farmers producing spring feed barley. The Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG) warns that the premium for malting quality could disappear or even turn negative.

Growing malting barley requires specific varieties and strict quality standards. Farmers also face the risk that grain may fail to meet malting specifications and be sold as feed barley despite the higher production costs involved.

Additional pressure comes from Boortmalt’s €10/t grain handling charge. IGGG is calling for the fee to be removed, warning that under current pricing conditions it could leave feed barley with a higher margin per hectare than malting barley.

The group says farmers cannot be expected to take on additional production risks without a meaningful financial premium. If the price gap between malting and feed barley disappears, the economics of growing the premium crop come into question.

IGGG is urging malting barley buyers and the malting, brewing and whiskey industries to reconsider 2026 pricing terms. The group says a sufficient premium is needed to keep farmers incentivized to produce high-quality malting barley.

Tags: barley, malting barley, Ireland