Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is any threat to the supply of fresh liquid winter milk in the short to medium term; the steps he has taken to address this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26113/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The fresh milk market is the largest consumer market for milk and milk products in the State with an estimated retail value of €513m in 2013. National consumption of fresh liquid milk in 2013 was 552 million litres. Average per capita consumption in the State of 0.34 litres per day was the second highest in the EU.

The National Milk Agency, which operates under the aegis of my Department, was set up in 1994 to ensure an indigenous year round supply of milk for liquid consumption. To this end, all farmers supplying milk for liquid consumption in the winter months do so under contracts with processors which must be registered with the Agency. Farmers supplying milk in the winter months are paid a premium over the price paid to farmers who only produce milk in the spring-autumn period. This premium reflects the additional costs of producing milk in the winter months.

Currently there is no indication of a threat to the supply of fresh liquid winter milk in the near term. In the five prescribed winter months of October 2013 to February 2014 total milk supplies by registered producers amounted to an estimated 296 million litres, an increase of 12 million litres on 2012/13, representing more than adequate cover for liquid milk consumption of an estimated 225 million litres.

The removal of EU quotas in 2015 may have an impact on the manufacturing and liquid sectors and in particular winter milk production and developments in that regard will be monitored closely.