13 July 2010

2 minute read

Europe

IFA President, John Bryan, will highlighted the importance of effective dairy market management in Brussels yesterday (12 July), when the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers was presented with the recommendations of the High Level Group (HLG) on Milk.

Mr Bryan said that the HLG had clearly recognised the severity of the dairy income crisis in 2009, and the need to provide continued market support to secure viable incomes and domestic milk production in the EU.

He said it was crucial that Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith, should urge his EU colleagues to look for the continuation of well funded, appropriate dairy market management, as this had played the most important role in recovering out of the 2009 dairy crisis.

Mr Bryan said: "The holding and careful management of strategic buffer stocks of butter and powder and well funded but ad-hoc, export incentives, must form the mainstay of our dairy market management before and after 2013 to secure viable dairy incomes and domestic milk supplies for European consumers."

He added: "We are totally in favour of strengthening the bargaining power of farmers and improving the transparency of the retail chain, particularly if it helps restore a fair share of the retail price for farmers, in the face of powerful multinational supermarkets. However, the HLG recommendations on contractualisation and interprofessional agreements must not impact negatively on major exporting countries such as Ireland.

"I will be meeting Minister Smith in Brussels to highlight the need for Ireland to give the Commission clear instructions to remain committed to speedy market management intervention as and when appropriate to sustain viable milk prices, and to combat the impact of extreme volatility. In addition, I will be discussing our concerns in relation to the Mercosur trade negotiations in advance of the Minister’s meeting with Trade Commissioner de Gucht."

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