Brussels yesterday decided to raise by two per cent the overall milk quotas for the EU’s 27 member states.
However, the increase is not expected to make any difference to Maltese milk producers as they are still not reaching their original quota.
The decision, originally proposed by the Commission last December in view of the high price of milk and its derivatives on the international market, will become effective from next month, following the green light given by the Agriculture Ministers Council.
George Pullicino, Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs, was not present for the meeting due to other commitments and was represented by a senior officer from Malta’s Permanent Representation in Brussels.
Malta’s milk production quota is capped at 48,696 tonnes a year and will now increase to 49,671 tonnes or by two per cent. Recent statistics for the 2006/07 marketing year show that the island produced 41,237 tonnes of milk, more than seven per cent below its permitted quota.
Malta has 152 milk producers. Sources close to the Commission said that the Council’s decision was mainly aimed at the big milk producing countries such as Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, which already have the capacity to produce more but are prevented from doing so because of their quota.
“However, an increase of two per cent is still positive for the Maltese farming community as they can invest more in cattle and produce more milk and dairy products. Malta’s market today is not constrained to just the island of Malta but products can also be exported to the whole EU,” the sources said.
Agriculture Commissioner Marian Fischer Boel welcomed the decision and said the measure will help ease the high demand for European dairy products.
“In the coming years, demand for high value-added dairy products will continue to rise both within Europe and around the world. We need to equip our farmers to meet that increased demand,” she said.
According to a market outlook report released by the Commission, between last year and 2104, an additional supply of eight million tonnes of milk will be needed to meet growing internal demand, particularly for cheese.
