FF: 2% milk quota increase agreed

A DECISION on a proposal to increase milk quotas in the EU by 2% from April 2 will be taken at a meeting of agricultural ministers in Brussels on St Patrick’s Day.

Fianna Fáil members of the European Parliament claimed yesterday the proposal has gone through the official European Commission channels and will be approved by the ministers. Brian Crowley, Liam Aylward and Seán Ó Neachtain predicted that the increase will be good news for Irish dairy farmers and will help the industry to avail of new export opportunities.

Mr Crowley, who is president of the UEN political group in the European Parliament, said the 2% quota increase will amount to 5.5 million tonnes of milk for Irish milk producers.

“This is an opportunity for Irish dairy farmers and the industry to take advantage of high global milk prices,” he said.

“The increase will help to meet the increase in demand for milk around the world at this time.”

Mr Ó Neachtain also said Ireland will have to ensure that it can secure a greater level of increase in milk production post-April 2009.

This will be necessary to ensure there will be a soft landing in the context of the abolition of milk quotas in Europe from 2015 onwards.

IFA Dairy Committee chairman Richard Kennedy said while the 2% quota increase falls short of the original 3% proposal made by IFA in June of last year, it was a step in the right direction.