Irish milk supply smaller, Glanbia cuts quota

The growth of the Irish milk pool has come to a standstill for the time being. In 2021, milk production was significantly higher in almost every month of the year than a year earlier. However, in March, the first month in which production really gets going in Ireland after the winter, 2,6% less was milked than in March 2021. However, the supply in March did increase significantly compared to February, now that production climbs towards the traditional spring peak in May.

Trend break or incident?
The Irish milk supply for March 2022 amounted to 826.192 tonnes. That was about 22.000 tons (2,6%) less than in March 2021, when 848.270 tons of milk were delivered to processing companies. Milk production is still well above the 5-year average of 759.110 tonnes, a sign of the rapid increase in production in Ireland in recent years. Whether the March production is an incident or heralds a break in the trend remains to be seen in the coming months.

Cooperative Glanbia is responding to tightening
According to the Irish dairy processor Glanbia, the reduced milk supply is caused by the high input costs that livestock farmers are faced with and the disappointing grass growth this spring. Due to the lagging milk supply, suppliers to the Glanbia cooperative may supply more milk than previously anticipated in the coming months.

Glanbia is experiencing a delay in the construction of a new cheese factory in Belview. As a result, the group decided to cap the traditional peak in milk supply in the months of April, May and June for a number of years. These production limiting measures are now partly being scaled back.