Plan to cut milk intervention support prices slated
It said a leaked version of Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler’s mid-term review proposals, due to be published early in the new year, is much more damaging than had been expected and must be strongly opposed by Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh.
ICOS president Dessie Boylan said it was unacceptable to increase the milk price cut agreed in the Agenda 2000 Agreement from 15% to 25%.
“ICOS has estimated that the proposals, if implemented, will reduce the value of the Irish dairy sector by about €400 million, whereas the proposed compensation equals about €217 million.
“This will result in a net income loss for milk producers of about €183 million, equivalent to nearly €7,000 for a producer with 180,000 litres (the average producer size in Ireland),” he said saying the milk quota system had worked well and was a very low-cost regime, in its current form, costing less than 5% of the EU CAP budget.
“It is essential that the quota regime and its related supports maintain or increase the incomes of milk producers.
“ICOS is totally committed to ensuring that the negative parts of the reform proposals are rejected,” he said.
