On 17^th March EU Agriculture ministers approved a 2% increase to the EU quota applied on an equal basis across all 27 member states.

 

The increase is in addition to the 0.5% that had already been approved under the provisions of the 2003 CAP reform being the final chunk of the 1.5% increment. This new increment is distinctly different to the additional allocations that have been proposed within the Health Check proposals.

 

As production for the current milk year looks likely to fall short of the existing national quota by something in excess of 500ml litres the prospect of a further 350ml or more being brought in to the equation will surely put the final nails in to the coffin of quota values in the UK.