Dairy co-ops should “show solidarity” with farmers by maintaining milk prices, according to a prominent Fine Gael senator.

Tim Lombard argued that co-ops “need to shoulder some of the pain of the economic downturn”.

“Last month a number of processors decreased the base milk price due to the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on dairy market returns,” Lombard noted.

Many co-ops are meeting this week to set their purchasing price for milk sold in April and I am urging processors to show some solidarity with our farmers.

“Speaking with farmers around the country, many are extremely concerned that there will be another price reduction,” the senator highlighted.

“Our rural farming communities need co-ops to shoulder some of the burden of this economic downturn and offer fair prices for their produce,” he added.

Lombard claimed that co-ops were set to make large profits with reduced prices for milk, during what he said was the “biggest health crisis since 1918”.

If co-ops make such profits in 2020 it will be at a huge cost to the agriculture community.

“I hope that the co-ops listen carefully to what farmers are saying. This is an unprecedented crisis and because of that there needs to be an unprecedented response from the co-ops,” he concluded.

April milk prices

Yesterday, Tuesday, March 12, Glanbia became the first processor to reveal its milk price for April, announcing a reduction in price on the previous month.

Glanbia intends to pay its member milk suppliers 28.42c/L including VAT for April creamery milk supplies at 3.6% butterfat and 3.3% protein.

Glanbia Ireland (GI) will pay a base milk price for April of 28c/L including VAT for creamery milk at 3.6% fat and 3.3% protein. This is a reduction of 1c/L from the March base price.

Farmer members will also receive a 0.42c/L including VAT payment from Glanbia Co-op on all milk supplied this month as their ‘Share of GI Profit’, the processor said.