Irish creamery body clashes with Agriculture Minister over dairy crisis

THE Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association has clashed with Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith over the cause of the dairy industry crisis.

Mr Smith earlier dismissed as “an entirely flawed argument” the suggestion that quota increases are the cause of the current low prices for milk, not least when EU production is already more than 4% under quota.

But in response the ICMSA leader Jackie Cahill said the reality is that EU milk production is increasing at a time when consumption is falling. The resultant market imbalance has caused the biggest crisis in the dairy sector ever.