Speaking in London at the 19th annual Dairy Industry Newsletter conference, European Commission official Tom Tynan said that the Commission would have to look seriously at intervention volume limits and stores over coming days because the volumes of product (especially skim milk powder) going in at the moment are extraordinary.

He said: “When I saw the figure of 22,000t of skim milk powder going into intervention last week, I was amazed. We thought figures of 12,000t and 14,000t were strong, but 22,000t was unbelievable. The intervention ceiling will be reached within two weeks at that sort of pace.”

When questioned, the EU official said that the European Commission has supported the dairy industry and will continue to do so. He said: “The sector has a positive trade balance of €9bn, so we will continue to support the 700,000 farmers in the sector. The Commission is as concerned as you are and we have used every possible tool to try and help the sector, especially since the Russian ban on EU product was imposed.”

Tynan and European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan have been invited to a number of speaking engagements around Scotland, England and Wales this week to debate Brexit and the benefits of the EU to British farmers.

Irishman Tom Tynan spoke on behalf of the European Commission at the Dairy Industry Newsletter conference taking place in London this Wednesday and Thursday this week.

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