Co-ops begin talks on quota scheme

THE Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) has started consultations on the proposals by Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan to introduce a more market driven milk quota restructuring scheme.

It has already discussed the proposals at board and dairy committee levels and will have further consultations with co-op technical staff and contact with individual co-ops.

ICOS president Padraig Gibbons said yesterday the minister’s announcement last month took most people by surprise.