Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 December 2012
95. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received by his Department for the 2013-14 milk quota trading scheme; the volumes that were applied for; when is it expected that a decision will be made on the awards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54831/12]
View answerThe Milk Quota Trading Scheme, which is the primary means of acquiring additional milk quota, is run in two stages annually for each Co-op collection area. On 14th November last I announced the results of the first stage of the scheme in respect of the 2013/2014 milk quota year. In that stage a total of 116.5 million litres of quota was sought by 1,831 applicants and a total of 28.7 million litres of milk quota was offered for sale by 211 applicants. Some 23.5 million litres, or 82% of the volume offered for sale, was successfully traded and of this, 15.5 million litres was sold on the Exchange at prices ranging from 9 to 25 cent per litre, with the remaining 8 million litres sold through the Priority Pool at the maximum price of 5 cent per litre. I announced the second stage of the 2013/2014 Milk Quota Trading Scheme earlier this week. The closing date for receipt of applications for this stage is 11th January 2013 and I expect to announce the results by the end of February.
