Dairy farmers consider diversifying product

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Advocate - A 42 per cent cut in the quota from the Pine Hill Dairy (PHD) would be disastrous for the local dairy industry. This is the harsh reality painted by President of the Barbados Dairy and Beef Producers’ Association, Brian Allan, who explained that to date, farmers have been moving around their quota among themselves to avoid dumping, since the announcement of a 25 per cent cut back in September by Pine Hill Dairy. The Farmers’ Committee is due to meet with the PHD to negotiate the cuts for March, April and May, where the suggestion is a 42 per cent cut. “With the 25 per cent we can do that, we can reduce our farms’ production, dry off cows, reduce food and so on, but it would be impossible to do it with 42 per cent,” Allan said.