Colin Kelso, a dairy farmer from Co. Tyrone, has been appointed as Vice-Chairman of Lakeland Dairies.
The Dungannon farmer joined the Board of Lakeland Dairies in 2013.
Kelso succeeds Gerry Melia who has served as Vice-Chairman since 2012 and who continues as a Board Member.
Alo Duffy, Lakeland Dairies’ Chairman, welcomed Kelso as Vice-Chairman and also paid tribute to outgoing Vice-Chairman, Gerry Melia for his excellent service to the co-operative.
Earlier this year, Lakeland Dairies CEO Michael Hanley said that once global stocks begin to clear, a gradual improvement in dairy market conditions is expected in 2016.
“Lakeland Dairies has continued to put in the groundwork required to ensure long term sustainability and continuing growth and development in an increasingly globalised and often volatile dairy marketplace.”
This includes investments in new milk processing capacity, larger scale and an efficiency and cost reduction programme across all operations.
The Lakeland Dairies CEO said that dairy markets have been challenging due to several factors coming into play at the same time.
“This has included the abolition of the EU quota system and increased production by European farmers, the Russian ban on EU dairy products and a global oversupply from dairy producing countries.”
Hanley said that the major dairy importers and traders across every continent have taken advantage of lower prices to increase their stock of dairy products over the past year and this will take some time to wash through the system.
