Inside Milk
Irish processors cut milk prices
Irish processors are also suffering from the corona crisis and are therefore tinkering with the milk price. The reductions in March can also be described as substantial.
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Kerry, Lakeland and Glanbia. The major Irish dairy producers are united in lowering the milk price over the past month. They are also affected by the corona crisis and the sales problems it entails.
Like many Dutch processors, Irish producers are highly dependent on exports. In recent weeks, Irish processors offered large volumes of 'cheap' cream to mainland Europe because they had no market for it.
1,5 to 2 cents
The reductions in milk prices in Ireland are greater than in the Netherlands, where the average basic milk price for March 'only' fell by €0,25 to €33,95 per 100 kilos. For example, Glanbia, which is building a cheese factory in Ireland together with A-ware, reduces the milk price by 2 cents to 29,42 cents per liter (at 3,6% fat and 3,3% protein.
According to CEO Martin Keane, the corona crisis has a major impact on their business. Other processors, including Kerry and Lakeland, also reduced their milk price by 1,5 to 2 cents.
Support measures
Representatives of Irish dairy farmers view the situation with dismay and call on the government in Ireland to protect milk prices. They fear further reductions, given that the prices of (Irish) dairy products have plummeted in recent weeks.