12m extra litres of milk
He has revealed that milk supplies from October 2013 to February 2014 by registered liquid winter milk producers increased by 12m litres compared to the same 2012/13 period, and the 296m litres supply more than adequately covers the estimated 225m litres liquid consumption.
“The removal of EU quotas in 2015 may have an impact on the manufacturing and liquid sectors, and in particular winter milk production, and developments in that regard will be monitored closely,” he said in response to a Dáil question by the Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesman, Éamon Ó Cuív.
Mr Coveney said the National Milk Agency ensures a year-round supply of liquid milk.
In 2013, agency chairman Denis Murphy said there had been no shortage of winter milk yet, but warned that the confidence of registered liquid producers had been shattered by increased 2012-2013 winter production costs, and the absence of any market response to these increases.
“The future of the all-year-round milk supply model for the domestic liquid milk market is now vulnerable and has reached a tipping point.”
There are also fears that the 10% of dairy farmers who supply fresh drinking milk would switch to milk for manufacturing, in time for the abolition of EU milk quotas in April 2015.
The fresh milk market in the State had an estimated retail value of €513m in 2013.
About 25% of the supply is thought to come from the North.
National consumption of fresh liquid milk in 2013 was 552m litres. The average per capita consumption in the State of 0.34 litres per day was the second highest in the EU.
