Milk quota trading figures a vote of confidence in plans, insists Smith

IN the latest milk quota trading scheme, 542 applications from sellers and 2,707 applications from buyers were received.

Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith said last week that this showed demand exists for milk and it was a vote of confidence in ambitions to increase milk production.

He also said it indicated that the national component he introduced in the scheme this year is successful. This allows those who sell some but not all of their quota on the market exchange to dispose of their remaining quota through a national pool, to purchasers in other co-op areas who had been unable to have their full requests satisfied.