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Got milk? Ireland's cows will be giving us a LOT more of the white stuff
Fifty-two high-skill jobs are expected to be created over the five years.
THE IRISH DAIRY processing sector is preparing for the end of milk quotas in under two months – for the first time in three decades.
It will open the door for farmers to ramp up production and the Irish milk pool is expected to increase by 50% by 2020.
A total of €35 million is being invested by Government and industry partners in two dairy processing innovation facilities.
The Department of Jobs through Enterprise Ireland, along with industry partners, are putting €25 million into a new Dairy Processing Technology Centre.
While Teagasc and its nine industry partners, are to inject a further €10 million into Moorepark Technology Ltd in Fermoy Co Cork.
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said:
The removal of milk quotas offers huge opportunities that we must exploit in a planned and strategic way in order to support jobs growth.
The eight companies involved in the Dairy Processing Technology Centre will need to trial the technologies at a pilot scale to test their potential robustness at commercial scale.
Dr. Keith O’Neill, Director of Lifesciences and Food Commercialisation, Enterprise Ireland said:
“With the anticipated increase of 50% to 2020 in the Irish milk pool, dairy processors need to be supported to deal with the challenges presented including technological capabilities and human resources capacities to develop a product mix that can increase dairy exports while maximising the efficiencies of processing operations.
He added that, “The future is very bright for the Irish dairy industry”.
Read: What do farmers want?>
