Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 200: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position in relation to the second offer for milk quota restructuring; if she has satisfied herself that the new system is working in favour of the farmers in the north east and west where few other farm enterprises are viable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15409/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Earlier today I announced the aggregate results of the second stage of the 2007/08 Milk Quota Trading Scheme and I am pleased to say that overall the second scheme has built on the success of the first. A near 100 per cent increase in the volume of quota traded through the exchange demonstrates that the scheme is meeting the requirements of most milk producers in a time of change for the sector. I am pleased that the volume of quota made available to priority categories such as young farmers and small farmers has increased by more than 30 per cent.

A total of just over 177 million litres of milk quota was offered for sale, with almost 124 million litres traded. Of this total, 86.2 million litres was sold on the exchange at prices ranging from 9 to 28 cent per litre, and 37.5 million litres was sold through the priority pool at the maximum price of 12 cent per litre, with the exception of two Co-ops where the priority pool quota was sold at exchange prices of 9 and 11 cent.

My Department will now undertake a thorough analysis of the Milk Quota Trading Scheme's first year results, and a comprehensive review of the scheme will be carried out in consultation with the main farming organisations and ICOS before the detailed arrangements for quota trading in the 2008/2009 milk quota year are agreed.