Co-op movement ‘serves agri-business well’

THE co-op movement has served the agri-business sector well in Ireland, which is “steeped in the co-op culture,” said Dairygold chief executive Denis Lucey.

Due to step down shortly from the post he has held since 1990, Mr Lucey reflecting on his lifetime in the agri sector opined that “agri-business in not a good ingredient for a Plc.”

“History had vindicated that reality” said Mr Lucey, without specific reference to any of the former co-operatives who went the Plc route, most of which suffered very mixed fortunes. “If you cast your eyes across Europe, the dairy sector in Denmark, Holland and further afield in New Zealand are all co-op dominated and farmers in those countries have been well served by their co-operatives,” he said.