Call for co-ops to host ‘once-off’ trading scheme for milk quota

ICMSA deputy president Pat McCormack said dairy farmers should be given a once-off opportunity to sell their quota at the market clearing price within their own co-ops.

Mr McCormack welcomed the successful trading of 43.4m litres of quota at the Department of Agriculture’s final Milk Quota Trading Scheme, but noted demand was for 154m litres, meaning only 28% of the volume demanded was traded.

“This high demand cannot be covered, but there remain a number of farmers who wanted to sell quota but did not due to higher price being asked for when they submitted their price,” said Mr McCormack.