Milk quota programme welcomed

Dublin: A new milk quota restructuring programme announced yesterday by Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan involves significant changes to the present scheme.

Farm leaders John Dillon (IFA), Pat O'Rourke (ICMSA) and Thomas Honner (Macra na Feirme) welcomed the new programme, which will introduce a fixed price for the sale and purchase of quota.

This will be at 17.5c per litre (80c per gallon) in 2005/06 with a reduction of at least 5.5c per litre (25c per gallon) to a price not exceeding 12c per litre (55c per gallon) for the 2006/07 restructuring pool.