Farmers will meet the Minister for Agriculture today to seek an emergency aid package for the severe fodder shortage.

It was claimed yesterday that at least £2 million is needed to solve the problem in west Limerick alone where some 1,700 out of 3,500 farmers were seriously hit. The IFA claims the current situation throughout the State was significantly worse than estimated in a survey by Teagasc last September.

IFA president Mr Tom Parlon said difficult weather conditions in October and November had made a bad situation significantly worse. He suggested the Government's £10 million fodder scheme with maximum aid of £300 a farm was now hopelessly inadequate to help these farmers over the winter months. "A realistic maximum aid contribution would now be £1,000 per farm since farmers face additional costs averaging over £2,000."