Dairy industry warns Walsh

Dublin: The dairy industry warned yesterday that further delays in increasing market supports will deprive Irish and EU exporters of competitiveness at a time opportunities are expected to open up internationally.

Leaders of ICOS, the national umbrella body for the co-ops, and senior executives from dairy processing societies, put the case for increased EU supports to Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh.

The current weakness in EU milk product markets and the need for increased market supports for the sector were discussed.