Ending of milk quotas to provide opportunity to be global dairy power

IRELAND is ideally poised to become a global dairy power with the ending of milk quotas in 2015, according to Irish Dairy Board (IDB) chief executive Kevin Lane.

The IDB was responsible for €780m (or 60%) of total Irish dairy exports last year, making it the largest exporter of Irish dairy products. The Irish Exporters Association has recognised the dairy sector’s now pivotal economic role by naming the IDB the Overall Exporter of the Year 2010.

The IDB also won the Food & Drink Exporter of the Year award at the ceremony in Dublin. The award reflects the importance of agricultural exports to the country and to the revitalisation of the country’s economy.