Increased hay and fodder production fills ‘barns’ in Alentejo

After two years of drought-related shortages, hay and fodder were plentiful in Alentejo this year thanks to a rainy winter and spring, with farmers filling their “barns” or paying less when they bought.

“Three or four times more was produced than last year and farmers took the opportunity to fill their warehouses,” Diogo Vasconcelos, president of the Association of Young Farmers of the South (AJASUL), told Lusa this Friday.

The leader of this association, based in Évora, and also a manufacturer, recalled that barns and warehouses “were completely empty after two very difficult years” of drought.

But this year the scenario is much more positive thanks to the rains that fell in the region, as farmers have even managed to “build up reserves for more difficult times.”

“The animals are better, fatter and in better shape, and we have food stored for the winter,” he said, predicting that “if all goes to plan” farmers “will have lower expenses” than last year.

Even those who don’t have hay production and turn to the market to stock up for the winter, he added, “will be buying now at half price,” meaning “big savings.”

Further south, in the district of Beja, the president of the Association of Farmers of Campo Branco (AACB), António Aires, told Lusa that “it was also a good year for hay and pasture production,” which “may be saving agricultural production.”

This increase in production is a “guarantee” for producers who in previous years paid “between 250 and 260 euros per tonne” to be able to feed their livestock, said the head of the association, based in Castro Green.

“Currently, most agricultural farms basically have animal feed left for next year,” he noted, adding: “We still have food in the field and supplies for the winter.”

An identical scenario is observed in the Portalegre area: Rui Vacas de Carvalho from the Agrupamento de Produtores Pecuários do Norte Alentejano – Natur-al-Carnes admitted to Lusa that there are “no memories” of such an agricultural year.

Recalling that 2023 was marked by severe drought and price speculation, the agriculture director estimated that 2024 would already see a reduction in costs due to a “much better” agricultural year.

“People are used to paying 25, 26 and 27 cents for hay. [por quilo]Last year and this year it was down a little bit because it was a good year for seeded pasture and it was down to 15, 16, 17 cents,” he said.

Straw, according to Rui Vacas de Carvalho, is selling this year at 11 cents per kilogram.

For his part, the technical secretary of the National Association of Gelding Sheep Breeders (ANCORME), Thiago Perloiro, confirmed to Luce that this is “an unprecedented year” for hay and feed production.

“The amount of feed, natural hay and seed hay was quite good, which allowed us to preserve food that is much more complete from a nutritional point of view, now to survive a period of even greater food shortages,” he emphasized. .

While declining to estimate the increase, Thiago Perloiro said he was sure the increase was large: “They are being harvested now, but on every piece of land you can see round and square bales, big and small.”

Therefore, this year there will be “big savings on farms,” given that in previous years “it was not possible to procure hay for animals, since they needed to be fed, we had to buy” this product, he emphasized. .