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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 3

Written Answers. - Milk Quota.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

143 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development his proposals to bring the milk quota year in line with the calendar year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4928/02]

There are no proposals at either national or EU level to bring the milk quota year in line with the calendar year. The milk quota review group, which is made up of representatives of the farming organisations, the dairy industry and technical advisers, has in the past reviewed all aspects of the operation of the quota regime in Ireland, but no recommendation has been made by the group to seek a change in the current quota year. The group considered the current quota year – 1 April to 31 March – to have certain advantages over a system based on the calendar year. Among these advantages are the following: since the volume of milk deliveries rises towards the end of the current quota year, a small percentage adjustment can have a significant effect in helping producers to remain within their quotas. The opposite is the case for 1 January-31 December quota year; there are many more calves born in February and March than in the autumn or winter, giving a good opportunity to dispose of surplus milk as feed; farmers trying to reduce deliveries towards the end of the calendar year would be more likely to dispose of surplus cows as cull cows, while in the current regime they are more likely to calve down in spring. A change could therefore have a negative impact on the beef sector; and fresh liquid milk required during the winter period could be adversely affected by a change in quota year.

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