Dairygold Co-op CEO Michael Harte says losing the nitrates derogation would reduce milk supply to the Cork-based co-op by 200m litres annually. This represents a 14% drop in the existing milk pool, bringing total milk processed annually from 1.4bn litres to 1.2bn litres.
Dairygold Co-op CEO Michael Harte says losing the nitrates derogation would reduce milk supply to the Cork-based co-op by 200m litres annually.
This represents a 14% drop in the existing milk pool, bringing total milk processed annually from 1.4bn litres to 1.2bn litres.
Harte says that 20% of Dairygold suppliers have an average of 32 cows.
He says the census of suppliers which took place last September signalled that up to 300 suppliers intend to retire over the next five years.
Twenty-three suppliers have given notice to leave the co-op, a figure Dairygold chair Pat Clancy described as “disappointing”. According to Dairygold, over twice this number had indicated they were leaving but have since retracted their notice.
On the outlook for milk price, Harte says that he expects prices to remain stable in the 48 to 50c/l range but cautioned that Dairygold was doubly exposed to US tariffs, with cream going to Kerrygold and milk going to the Tine cheese plant at Mogeely, both of which are destined for the US market.
Last year, Dairygold paid an average milk price of €6/kg milk solids, based on the Irish Farmers Journal milk league for 2024.
According to the annual league in table 1, Dairygold’s milk price was third from the bottom. Kerry Dairy Ireland and the west Cork co-ops supplying milk to Carbery are expected to announce a milk price top-up imminently.
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