ANGRY GRAIN growers last night vowed to continue their blockade of the Greencore Malt plant at Athy, Co Kildare, which began early yesterday morning.
The 100 specialist growers were protesting over the closure of four intake depots by the company, the cutting of contracts by 20 per cent and the refusal to accept barley with a high moisture content.
The farmers, who are members of the Irish Farmers’ Association, held a protest meeting in Carlow on Monday night following a breakdown of negotiations between the IFA and the company on the issues. Yesterday, more talks took place between the company and the IFA president, Pádraig Walshe, where the company agreed not to close the four intake depots.
It agreed Castlebridge and Tinturn, Co Wexford, and Stradbally, Co Laois, will operate as tipping and reloading points, while Emo, Co Laois, will operate as a full intake point for the 2009 season.
The growers had complained that the closure of the depots would force some farmers to travel an extra two hours to deliver their crops and would increase their costs.
Mr Walshe said that the growers would maintain their protest at the Greencore Malt plant in Athy, as no solution has been found to the substantive issues of a price for their crop and the restoration of contracts that have been cut by the company.
With the harvest imminent, this move displays a complete disregard for growers, said IFA National Grain Committee chairman Colum McDonnell.
In a statement yesterday, Greencore said it had carried out a detailed review of its intake procedures and logistics for this year’s harvest, reflecting market conditions and the focus on ensuring the highest quality standards.
Acknowledging the concern of growers, it said: “We will operate all existing intake locations for this year’s harvest.”