In November 2023, Irish farmers delivered 388.7 million litres of milk, down 19.8% from the previous year and 16.6% from 2021. Ireland produced 8.3 billion litres of milk in the first 11 months of 2023, down 2.3% from the previous year, according to the Central Statistical Office. Denis Drennan, president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), attributes the sharp output drop to low milk prices and bad weather. He also said further nitrate limitations, such as cow bands and the 220 N per acre decrease from 1 January 2024, were important. Drennan cautions that competition for milk supply may raise milk costs, affecting volumes for dairy firms who invested extensively in sophisticated processing facilities. He thinks production quantities can meet scientifically established sustainability objectives and properly estimated processing capacity. ICMSA and Irish dairy producers must link these three aspects with a stable milk price to create enough volume.
