Lakeland CEO: EU must support dairy sector

The EU must intervene to directly to support the dairy sector, said Lakeland Dairies’ group chief executive Michael Hanley.

Speaking at the Lakeland Dairies Milk Quality Awards, he said that the overall global market trend was already downwards prior to the abolition of milk quotas last April.

The situation worsened considerably due to the Russian ban on EU dairyimports.

That ban was a reaction to EU sanctions on Russia relating to the crisis in Ukraine.

“Unfortunately, the EU failed to recognise the impact that these combined market and geo-political issues would have on the dairy sector,” said Mr Hanley.

“Brussels has not acted decisively enough to support the EU dairy industry through the current impasse.

“The dairy sector needs to see a package of support measures announced including increased intervention prices.

“Over €1bn has been collected in superlevy fines from farmers across Europe, for the period before milk quotas were abolished, and this should be used to alleviate the current situation without delay.”