Northern Milk Prices Too Low - Farming | farming news | cattle prices | ifa

Northern Milk Prices Too Low

Written by Cian MacSweeny
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
The IFA have called on northern co-ops to pay better milk prices in order to secure milk supplies. In a speech at the Virginia Agricultural Show in Co. Cavan today, Richard Kennedy, IFA National Dairy Committee Chairman, said there was a pressing case for co-ops in the Northern and Western regions of the country to remove costs as the prices they are paying are generally lower than those in the southern regions. The IFA Chairman said, “At a recent meeting, our local County Dairy Committee Chairmen themselves identified the necessity for milk purchasers to co-operate more on areas such as farm milk collection, bulk milk transport and milk processing in particular.” The Northern and Western regions account for 1.1 billion litres, or 20%, of the national milk pool, which is collected by twelve purchasers. He continued, saying; “With milk prices under pressure again, greater market volatility, massive farm production cost increases and the end of milk quotas on the horizon for 2015, there is no time to be wasted in parish pump politics.” Mr. Kennedy added, “co-ops in the region must come together to take cost out, reduce their fuel bills by co-ordinating milk transport from farms and to processing facilities, improve processing efficiency by pooling and/or mothballing plants, and invest in common to increase the value they add to their suppliers’ milk. I am very encouraged that, under the auspices of ICOS, co-ops countrywide are now working towards centralising milk testing, and I believe this will set an important precedent for other areas of co-operation in the industry.” He concluded saying, “there is no time to lose. Co-ops in the Northern and Western regions cannot take their milk suppliers for granted. They must work towards securing milk production in the region. This will only happen if farmers are paid a milk price that is at all times competitive with the best payers."

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