ICMSA attacks ‘smug’ Fischer Boel comments on milk price collapse

THE Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association yesterday described as “unbelievably smug and out-of-touch” comments made by European Union Farm Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel on its dairy policy and the collapse in milk prices.

Deputy president John O’Leary said Irish dairy farmers read with disbelief Ms Fischer Boel’s statement that the EU must not over-react or under-react to the current weakness of the dairy market.

Farmers are losing money every day through supplying milk at below the costs incurred producing it. “It is very easy not to over-react or under-react to a disaster, if it has no impact on your own pocket — as is the case with Commissioner Fischer Boel. It is a different affair for the person milking the cows who is now left in a situation where, for instance, a 250,000 litre supplier into Kerry, is now losing e40,000 on a full year’s production.”

Mr O’Leary said the comments, signalling the continued expansion of quotas on the grounds that “good policy is clear policy”, summarises everything that is wrong with EU dairy policy.

“Even in the face of its obvious failure we see an inability or unwillingness to admit the commission got it wrong and we have now ended up with a situation that has the EU increasing supply of milk into a market that has fallen drastically.

“Is there anyone left in Europe — with the curious exception of the farm commissioner herself — who thinks that expanding quotas and increasing the supply of milk will help rally prices? This policy is as wrong as it’s arrogant.”

Mr O’Leary said the ICMSA will continue its fight to convince the stakeholders that the only sensible way to stabilise milk prices and end what will undoubtedly be a crazy, see-saw volatility on a yearly basis is to make a concerted effort to match supply to demand.

That in turn must mean Ms Fischer Boel turning her attention to the EU’s structural surplus of 7%-8% and suggesting ways on absorbing it other than the present policy.

Current policy seems to revolve around collapsing the market to an extent that has the supplier getting paid less than it costs to produce the milk in the first place.

“We are growing mighty tired of a policy being trotted that reflects nothing so much as their unbelievably smug and out-of-touch attitude. “We demand that she end betting our futures against a discredited and clapped-out policy,” Mr O’Leary said.