April milk supplies are down if not similar to April 2015, despite more dairy cows in the country this year. Our survey this week of the main Irish processors shows a mix of poor milk prices and poor weather have dampened milk production. The expectation at the start of the year was that milk volumes would continue to increase on top of post-quota increases delivered last year. Remember, April 2015 was the first month of quota-free production in the EU.
April milk supplies are down if not similar to April 2015, despite more dairy cows in the country this year.
Our survey this week of the main Irish processors shows a mix of poor milk prices and poor weather have dampened milk production. The expectation at the start of the year was that milk volumes would continue to increase on top of post-quota increases delivered last year. Remember, April 2015 was the first month of quota-free production in the EU.
Dairy supplies in west Cork and Kerry seem to be hardest hit. Kerry reports milk supplies for April are back 7% on the same month last year. Some of the west Cork co-ops were just finalising figures when we contacted them this week but Bandon reports it is back 5.6% compared with the same month in 2015.
The other big three – Aurivo, Dairygold and Glanbia – report milk supply volumes the same as 2015, with poor grazing weather, lower milk prices and lower meal feeding the main reasons for no increase.
Lakeland reports April milk supply up 1.5% for the month just finishing. All supply indications are best estimates as tallies are being finalised.
IFA dairy chair Seán O’Leary has urged dairy farmers to attend their co-op AGMs to “make their voices heard” on milk prices.
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