Irish forage maize area projected to break 50,000ac barrier in 2026
A number of factors are fast aligning that will see the Irish forage maize area planted out in 2026 reach record levels, according to Maizetech’s John Foley.
In 2025, approximately 47,000ac were dedicated to maize in production.
However, initial estimates for 2026 have put the projected cropping area at 50,000ac. And this figure could rise further over the coming weeks.
Foley commented: “Demand for forage maize continues to grow and this is reflected in the expanding area dedicated to the crop.
“There is every prospect of the acreage planted out exceeding 50,000ac.
"If this is achieved, it will represent a record figure, where forage maize grown in Ireland is concerned."
A number of specific factors have combined to increase the attractiveness of maize on tillage farms, Foley explained.
These include a very challenging spring planting season in tandem with poor prices for both feed and malting barley.
“Maize is increasingly viewed as a tremendous break crop within a tillage rotation," he said.
"Growers are finding that wheat crops drilled after forage maize can deliver up to an extra half tonne of grain per acre."
Forage maize
The Maizetech representative said he expects a significant area of maize to be grown without the use of plastic in Wexford and across the south-east this year.
“This will be driven by tillage farmers seeking a spring barley alternative," he said.
“Maize grown under contract for dairy and beef farmers can be an extremely profitable enterprise.
“Dairy herd size continues to grow throughout Ireland to the extent that securing a grazing platform large enough is becoming practically impossible."
He noted that under these circumstances, "housing cows becomes the only feasible alternative".
"And in these circumstances, feeding forage maize comes into its own.
“And the same trends are now very apparent within the beef sector, where demand for high quality forages continues to grow.”
Significantly, the Maizetech representative does not believe the sky-rocketing prices of fertiliser will put farmers off growing maize in 2026.
“In fact, the polar opposite is the case,” he stressed.
“Maize crops can utilise very large quantities of organic manures and slurries.
“Applying 5,000gal of slurry per acre on to maize ground prior to ploughing is equivalent to 200kg of a standard compound used to grow the likes of spring barley.”
Weather permitting, the first of this year’s forage maize crops will be sown out under plastic around April 20.
