Barley is Ireland’s most widely grown cereal crop, with approx 175,000 hectares planted each year.
Typically, this is split as 60% spring barley and 40% winter which between them produce approx 1.2 to 1.3 million tonnes of grain each year. Barley straw is also a very valuable by-product of this crop, which is eagerly sought after by the many livestock farmers in the country.
The vast majority (75%) of the national barley crop is sold as feed grain, used for cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. About 22% of the national crop grown is classified as ‘malting barley’ and is used in the drinks industry for brewing, distilling and roasting. Approx 3% of the crop is grown for seed production each year.
