Lakeland Dairies and Tirlán have no plans to follow Dairygold’s lead in cutting staff working hours due to falling milk supplies.

Last weekend, Dairygold confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that it will reduce staff working hours and cut back on cheese production over the summer due to the milk supply downturn.

Milk volumes at the Munster-based processor are down 9% in the year to date, compared to the same period last year, with the outlook for a drop in supply of 7% year-on-year.

“Dairygold has no choice but to take measures to mitigate the impact of reduced milk volumes on the business and milk suppliers,” a spokesperson said.

Dairygold’s Mogeely plant stopped all Saturday and bank holiday work after Easter, while there is no overtime operating at the Mallow plant and a recruitment freeze has been put in place.

Overtime is also understood to be cut at Castlefarm, Mitchelstown.

A Lakeland Dairies spokesperson said the company “continually seeks to be as efficient and as agile as possible with our product range”.

“Currently, there has been no change to staff rosters, with all production sites carrying out activities as projected and expected, however this is kept under regular review,” he said.

Supply in the year-to-date is down 2% on last year and the company confirmed it had not cut back on production of any of its product mix.

Challenging grazing conditions have resulted in a 9% drop in supply to Tirlán, with the processor forecasting a 3% to 5% in reduction year-on-year.

“As part of normal management of business operations, the Tirlán product mix and operating schedules across the plant network are flexible and change throughout the season, in line with milk volumes and forecasted product returns,” a Tirlán spokesperson said.