Agriculture

Milk production to decline by 1% in 2022

Irish dairy farmers, grappling with increases in the cost of energy, fertiliser and animal feed, are reducing their cattle numbers

Irish milk production is forecast to decline by almost 100 million litres this year

Irish milk production is forecast to decline by almost 100 million litres this year, which would be the first time supply volumes have fallen since the end of EU quotas in 2015.

Industry sources are projecting that production is likely to be down 1 per cent this year to less than 8.7 billion litres as soaring prices for animal feed and fertiliser are forcing dairy farmers to cut back on cattle numbers.

For the first ...