Milk quota exceeded

A NOVEMBER surge in milk production drove the country over quota for the year to date, once again raising the risk of a superlevy penalty.

Estimated deliveries to the end of November, as calculated by the Department of Agriculture, based on returns from milk processors, show that the country was 0.5% over quota for the year to December, after adjustment for butterfat changes.

It was one of the best Novembers in years for milk production, aided by favourable weather and by later than usual drying-off, as producers took advantage of the conditions to make up for the shortfall in production during the earlier months.