OPINION: The Irish dairy sector is facing a new dilemma - maintaining year-round fresh milk supplies. Ireland's registered liquid milk producers fell by 32 to 1196 in 2024, leaving just 7% of the country's dairy farmers supplying the liquid milk market. Media reports say registered liquid milk supplies declined 4% to 424 million litres, while annual fresh milk consumption fell by 8 million litres (1%) to 564 million litres. Industry leaders attribute the ongoing contraction to economic pressures, labour shortages, changing lifestyles and the stronger appeal of seasonal milk production, making year-round supply increasingly difficult to sustain. It's part of a broader trend that the UK's ability to read itself is waning.