Teagasc has released its 2027 gross crop margin projections for key Irish crops, highlighting the ongoing pressure on input costs. For winter wheat, the estimated fertiliser cost is €241 per acre, with fungicides adding another €117. Total variable costs are projected at €772 per acre, and the break-even yield is set at 3.52 tonnes per acre. Straw output is valued at €101 per acre for most cereals, except winter barley and winter rye, which are estimated at €121 per acre.
Winter barley is expected to remain a high-cost crop, with fertiliser inputs at €239 per acre and fungicide costs at €59 per acre. The break-even yield for winter barley is projected at 3.5 tonnes per acre. Irish winter barley yields have been disappointing in recent years due to issues like take-all, leading some farmers to plant it as a first cereal after a break crop in 2026/2027.
Winter oilseed rape is projected to be a profitable crop, driven by strong prices and improving yields. The break-even yield is estimated at 1.3 tonnes per acre, with total variable costs at €651 per acre. Fertiliser costs are the largest contributor at €236 per acre, and rape straw is valued at €61 per acre.
For legumes like peas and beans, the Protein Aid Scheme is expected to play a key role in sustainability, with an estimated value of €202 per acre. Potatoes are projected to have high input costs of €4,804 per acre, with a break-even yield of 14.8 tonnes per acre. The actual profitability of tillage crops in 2027 will depend on the final yields secured next harvest.
Winter cereal and oilseed rape crops have had an almost perfect start this autumn, with excellent ground conditions and effective weed control measures. However, the weather next spring and summer will be the key drivers for tillage crops during the year ahead.