Irish dairy processing is currently going well, with no disruptions at this time, according to industry representation. However, the threat of Covid-19 remains as real as ever.
Speaking to AgriLand, director of Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) Conor Mulvihill outlined that production is continuing unabated at present but highlighted the looming pressure of peak milk season and peak Covid-19 overlapping.
“At present, things are going well; we’re engaging in business continuity planning which is focused completely on putting available tools in place to ensure that we’re able to process milk,” Mulvihill said.
However, the issue is this. Even in peak, we have the stainless steel to process the milk; it’s not a question of stainless steel – it’s a question of having the highly skilled human resources to run the plants at peak.
“That is what we’re aiming to do. It’s in the future that the risk is – not now. I can confirm everything is going well now; absenteeism rates are in line with HSE projections at present. They are manageable and plants are running.
“Our key issue is we have not yet hit Covid-19 peak.
“Our question is ensuring we have the highly skilled human resources to run the plants at peak – and that peak is 250 million litres of milk a week, over a period of six weeks.”
Continuing, Mulvihill added that the key issue is that, at peak, if there’s a breakdown in any plant, the affected milk has nowhere to go.
Referencing the Taoiseach’s announcement earlier today, Friday, April 10, that current restrictions will continue until May 5, the director said: “The lockdown has now been extended into the peak.
The peak of Covid-19 and the peak of dairy are now exactly overlapping. We won’t be out of the lockdown situation until the peak of milk production comes.
“The success of flattening the curve moves the peak – that peak has been pushed onto the peak of milk,” Mulvihill concluded.