AS MET Éireann said yesterday it expected July rainfall to exceed all records, farmers were bracing themselves for a poor harvest and a difficult winter.
Evelyn Cusack of the metrological service said the forecast was for more broken weather up to the first days of August.
The rainfall is causing havoc on farms where the winter barley grain harvest is ready but cannot be taken from the fields because of ground conditions.
The Irish Farmers’ Association reported that the harvesting of 20,000 hectares of winter barley should be wrapped up by this weekend, but looked like running up to two weeks late because of poor conditions.
“The main crop of spring barley – 165,000 hectares – is not due to be taken out for a few weeks yet, but the flash flooding caused by the downpours is leading to the lodging of crops,” it added.
Teagasc tillage expert Jim O’Mahony said tillage farmers are expecting losses in the main crops because of this; there was no “disaster just yet” but there would be if poor weather continued.
With reports of farmers having to rehouse stock again because of lack of grass, the IFA said livestock farmers were facing a fodder problem next winter as early grass growth was poor and silage ground had to be grazed.
“The opportunity for a second cut of silage has not materialised. Cattle are not thriving in the wet conditions,” it said.
“Growers of lettuce and broccoli are facing serious losses if a prolonged dry spell does not arrive soon and the harvesting of the main potato is 10 days away, but there are problems with spraying for blight,” it said.
The agricultural contractors’ association said its members were experiencing major difficulties getting second-cut silage and grain crops out of the fields.
“As one farmer said to me last week, the poor weather is the crown of thorns on top of all the other bad news of cuts in premiums and poor prices for cattle, milk and lamb,” he said.
A number of agricultural shows have had to be cancelled or postponed because of weather conditions. However, a spokesman for Tullamore Show and AIB National Livestock Show, which was cancelled because of bad weather in both 2008 and 2007, said it would go ahead on the new site “come hell or high water” on August 9th.
Ms Cusack said July rainfall records had already been broken in Dublin, with 147.8mm or nearly three times the average recorded.
Similar amounts were recorded at Johnstown Castle (156mm), Birr (145mm) and Valentia (172mm).
“Donegal is the only place in Ireland with below July average falls with only 45mm so far, where the July average is 72mm,” she said.