ICMSA: co-ops should pay 30 cents minimum
With the global dairy markets progressing upward again and with all figures indicating improved conditions, the minimum that our co-ops should be paying for June milk is 30 cents per litre, the chairman of the ICMSA Dairy Committee, Ger Quain, contends.
Suppliers are experiencing both anger and anxiety at the recent trend to lag behind international statistics on milk prices and he called upon the board members at the co-ops to take action to ensure that the Irish prices are brought up to the levels that are being paid elsewhere.
The Ornua PPI for May translated as 29.88 cents per litre and the markets have nudged up again during June and are expected to continue on an upward path into July.
Business doubles at Gortatlea Mart
“We had a great year when we reopened Gortatlea Mart six years ago but that was to be our best year until now. It was not as good for a few years but things have been very good since we have been allowed to resume trading,” Maurice Brosnan, the owner of the enterprise, said.
“There is much more life in the trade. Business is double - actually, more than double what it was this time last year - and this has meant that prices are rising. Cattle that we were getting €3.00 for a year ago are now making up to €3.90,” he added.
Gortatlea was set up by Maurice’s uncle Sean Brosnan but had been inactive for a time when the young man took it over in 2014 and set about bringing the premises back up to standard and adding further features to bring it well above the usual and re-establishing the business successfully.