Farmers demand larger slice of €1.9bn dairy cash

A MECHANISM for passing on to farmers a greater share of the market returns generated by the €1.9 billion-turnover Irish Dairy Board (IDB), which exports dairy products to more than 90 markets worldwide on behalf of co-op members, was sought by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) yesterday.

ICMSA president Jackie Cahill told the association’s annual general meeting in Limerick he was pleased to see there is greater support for the IDB. But he said it was time for it to “up” its performance and generate more from the marketplace.

Mr Cahill said the board was set up and funded for farmers and said it must never lose this focus and purpose.