Strikes may hit Irish case for higher quotas

LAST week’s strike by dairy farmers in six countries may have ended hopes of the generous EU milk quota increases sought by the Irish industry.

“Effective control of volumes” is one of the main demands of farmers, who held back milk for nearly two weeks, until agreeing to enter talks with processors and retailers.

They demanded a baseline price increase from 35 cents to 43c per litre, and blamed the 2% rise in EU milk production quotas in April for a dramatic fall in milk prices.