Minister Welcomes Positive Report On Milk Market
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith has welcomed the latest report from the Commission on the situation in the dairy market.
28 September 2010
1 minute read
Minister Smith said it was heartening to see the report conclude that the dairy market has been continuously improving in the second half of 2009 and the first half of 2010. He also welcomed the positive forecast for the dairy sector and he commended the Commission for their careful management of intervention stocks, a point he had emphasised for some time now.
Minister Smith was speaking after today's Council of EU Agriculture Ministers which also agreed conclusions on the report of the High Level Group on Milk.
The Minister said that he had supported these conclusions and was "particularly pleased with the recognition that market support mechanisms at safety net level should continue to play an important role and the undertaking to look at additional mechanisms to address price volatility. This is a crucial issue for Ireland and one which we will return to in our upcoming discussions on the CAP after 2013.
"I am also pleased at the explicit acknowledgement that origin labelling could be voluntary. This is a point strongly supported by our stakeholders and accurately reflects the outcome of the High Level Group discussions."
