Last week’s reported sales of 47,650 tons of alfalfa hay in Idaho included 46,000 tons that were contracts made by export buyers for 2019 crop alfalfa hay. Prices paid were about $15 per ton higher than early contacts last year. Two weeks ago, there were new crop contracts for the season reported in Nevada with the most sales on “clean and green” Fair to Good export alfalfa hay at $170 FOB (freight on board) stack. In Arizona and the California’s Imperial Valley, export buyers outbid many dairy hay buyers for current production of alfalfa hay. Supreme export alfalfa hay big bales traded steady to $5 higher in the Imperial Valley and prices were out of reach for most dairy hay buyers.
The majority of Supreme alfalfa hay big bales for export were destined for Saudi Arabia and China. In order to compete for current alfalfa hay in Imperial Valley, dairy hay buyers from Central California were having to buy Premium quality or below, hay with faults, or small bales.
