11 February 2011

2 minute read

Europe

John Bryan said the welcome optimism in the dairy sector was fuelled by strong markets, positive long-term global demand forecasts, and a renewed recognition of the potential of the sector to grow Irish exports and jobs.

“Dairy farmers are ready to deliver significantly more milk after 2015 if it is profitable for them to do so. Our challenge now is to make sure there are solid structures in place, to deal with milk collection, processing, innovation into higher value products and to market the additional milk. In addition, we need Government to ensure that favourable economic, environment and taxation policy supports are in place at home and in Europe to achieve the planned growth.”

Mr Bryan reminded the large audience of co-op board members that input costs were rising and market returns presented an immediate opportunity to increase the January milk price by at least 1.5c/l.

“This event is about initiating plans to ensure our industry succeeds. Delivering sustainable, strong milk prices which allow dairy farmers to secure viable incomes must be at the core of those plans.”

The IFA Dairy Committee Chairman Kevin Kiersey stressed that, in his opinion, the cost of expansion had been vastly overstated.

“A significant degree of profitable expansion can be facilitated at minimal cost on farm and in processing by optimising existing plants, and I expect to hear today a unified message from the processing and advisory service on how this is to be achieved.”

“Farmers will have enough to do to finance on-farm investment. Co-ops, plcs, Enterprise Ireland and the banking sector must play the significant role in financing any processing expansion required,” he concluded.

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