Processing and marketing reform call for dairy sector

NEW processing and marketing structures in the dairy industry are now urgent, a co-op leader has claimed.

Connacht Gold chief executive Aaron Forde told an Irish Farmers Association seminar in Athlone last night that Ireland’s main competitors have more concentrated businesses at farm, processing and marketing levels.

The industry in Ireland is capital and energy intensive. Returns from processing milk have been low and businesses will lose money this year.