Second super levy-free year in a row on the cards

SUPERLEVY is unlikely to arise in the milk production year to next April, predicted Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith in the Dáil, where he revealed that Irish milk deliveries were just over 10% under quota at the start of November.

“When one considers that quotas have effectively been increased by only 5% in the last two years, it is clear that they are having no effect on the movement of milk prices,” commented the Minister.

Ireland produced only 97.5% of its milk quota in the year to last April, thus avoiding a superlevy penalty.