Mayo protest warning over milk price cuts by multi-nationals

EXPECT to see farming organisations out protesting soon as a milk price war looms in supermarkets.

The warning came from Councillor Johnny O'Malley at a meeting of Mayo County Council where he criticised the move by multi-nationals to cut milk prices in-store to lure in shoppers.

Cuts of up to 10c on two litres of own-brand milk have been announced by a number of retailers.

It all goes back to the farmers, he said. Last month saw their August milk price cut by 2c/litre by the processors, and now this cut comes in and it would be cut more even though every other thing is going up.

Why not cut back on other products, why milk and why hit the farmers, he asked.

They didn't bring down the price of flour because we're importing it and other foods such as sugar beet, which we used to produce ourselves, he commented. So we're importing food and charging the shopper for it, and the food we're producing here we cut the price on it to lure in the shopper, which he condemned.

Councillor O'Malley said he thought there will be protests outside stores, saying the farming organisations will be out soon.