The Department of Agriculture has announced that based on estimated milk deliveries as submitted by milk purchasers for the period up to 31 March 2014, Ireland is 0.94% over the national quota. This compares to the published position in March 2013 when Ireland was 2.80% under quota.

The final amount of the super levy won’t be known for a number of weeks until all co-ops have returned information and national rebalancing takes place.

Close to 1% over would suggest that the country is facing a fine in the region of €15m to €16m. Farm organisations have called for the Department and co-ops to finalise the national position sooner rather than later so that money held back from farmers to meet fines can be repaid if necessary.