A major price drop in milk is to affect dairy farmers across the Shannonside region.
Nationally, the dramatic decrease in milk values with almost €2 billion less expected to be paid to dairy farmers in 2023 versus 2022.
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, represents all farmers by lobbying at local, national and EU levels.
The latest figures from an ICMSA report show that dairy farmers across the Shannonside region will suffer a fall in revenue of almost €70 million.
Reports conducted by the ICMSA show that dairy farmers have stopped buying and investing, leading to a potential deficit from the Irish rural economy of €4 billion for 2023.
The analysis used an average milk price of 59 cents per litre for 2022 and an expected average price of 37 cents per litre for 2023, with production expected to fall by 2% yearly, which implies almost 38% of dairy revenues have been wiped away in 12 months.
Local dairy producers will see a cut in revenue, with milk revenue dropping dramatically by €40 million in Westmeath this year.
The deficit has caused a €14 million drop in Longford, and slightly under €12 million in Roscommon.
Meanwhile, Leitrim's milk revenue has dropped by a half this year, from approximately €8 million in 2022 to just under €5 million this year.
President of the ICMSA, Pat McCormack calls on the Minister for Agriculture, Food & Marine to meet and form a clear strategy to facilitate an immediate recovery in milk price in order to prevent the drops and save Ireland's rural businesses.
