Inside Milk
Irish dairy farmer sprints in March
The dairy farmers in Ireland took a sprint in milk production in March. While the supply was almost the same at the beginning of 2018, livestock farmers are taking a lead in March. And the Irish dairy industry doesn't mind.
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Irish milk production for March amounted to 717.960 tonnes, according to data the country has submitted to the European Commission. That is an increase of 11,1% compared to March last year. In the months of January and February In 2019, milk production was 4,5% and 2,5% higher respectively than in the same months in 2018. It must be said that milk production in Ireland is always at its seasonal low point around the turn of the year.
Applauding production increases
The Irish dairy industry has no problems with the increase in production, but actually welcomes it. Due to good market demand, many factories are already running at maximum capacity, reports Agriland. Dairy groups such as Dairygold and Glanbia are also investing in expanding processing capacity. However, the flexibility in processing is limited, Agriland notes. If a production line is shut down for a while due to problems, other processors cannot simply take over the milk (as is generally the case).
Ireland's dairy industry is working towards its traditional peak in milk production this month. Then the supply will be well above 1 million tons. That is almost 7 times as much as in January.