HEAR OILSEED RAPE OPTION FOR HARVEST 2026

Tirlán is offering oilseed rape growers a unique forward selling opportunity for the 2026 harvest which could enable a grower to cover the crop’s production cost and secure a reasonable margin, even ahead of sowing the crop!

In 2020, Tirlán pioneered the growing of High Erucic Acid Rapeseed (HEAR) in Ireland. HEAR is a valuable and renewable raw material for the manufacture of a wide array of industrial products. Comparing yields of HEAR and conventional oilseed rape varieties over recent years, we estimate the average yield difference to be about 0.2 t/ac, in favour of conventional varieties; however, this difference is more than compensated for by the additional premium on offer for HEAR. In 2025, HEAR crops performed exceptionally well with the vast majority of crops achieving 2.0 tonnes per acre and some exceeding this mark.

For Harvest 2026 Tirlán has secured an attractive forward offer for growers as follows:

• A fixed price of €550/t for up to 1.2 tonne per acre of a grower’s production.
• The opportunity to sell the balance of a grower’s production at the November 2026 Matif Rapeseed price plus a €15/t premium at any time up until Tirlán’s green grain prices for Harvest 2026 are announced. As of 18^th August, the balance would be valued at €479/t.

Teagasc has calculated the cost of production for the 2025 oilseed rape crop at €614 per acre; it is assumed that the cost will be similar for the 2026 crop.

Forward prices for conventional oilseed rape at present are in the order of €440 per tonne (@ 9% moisture, green). Therefore the above offer presents the grower with the following opportunities

• More than cover the cost of production by forward selling 1.2 tonnes per acre at €550/t.
• Receive a premium in the order of €110/t for the first 1.2 tonnes of HEAR compared to conventional oilseed rape – equivalent to an additional €132 per acre.
• The grower could sell a proportion of their production above 1.2 tonnes per acre at Nov ’26 MATIF price plus €15/t premium (equivalent to €39/t over current forward price for conventional oilseed rape).

The fixed price offer available from Tirlán for the 2026 harvest, effectively guarantees a minimum of a break-even situation, and presents a risk-free opportunity to make a significant margin from oilseed rape in 2026.

Growers who wish to avail of the fixed price offer should contact their Tirlán representative and indicate the tonnage to be contracted before close of business on Friday, August 29th.

First Published 19 August 2025