Milk quotas were introduced in the former European Economic Community in 1984 as a mechanism to prevent overproduction of milk because of support measures for the dairy sector. The quotas system was removed on 1 April 2015. In order to analyse the possible impact of this decision to remove the milk quotas system on dairy farms in Andalusia (Spain), a comparison was made of a time series of the data in the databases of the public administrations. The variables used were dairy production per cow and year, the number of cows per farm and dairy production per farm and year. The period 2010‑2019 was considered, establishing two strata: 2010‑2014 (period with milk quotas in force) and 2015‑2019 (post-quotas period). From 2010 to 2019, the number of dairy cattle farms in Andalusia decreased by 29.8 %, milk production increased by 25 % and the average farm size increased by 23 %. During the 2015‑2019 period after withdrawal of milk quotas, milk production per cow and year, the number of cows per farm and milk production per farm and year increased significantly (P < 0.05) compared to the period before the withdrawal of the milk quotas. In conclusion, the milk quotas system has had an impact on the size and production efficiency of dairy cattle farms in Andalusia, with a greater growth in production and farm size after milk quotas were removed in 2015.

Olvera‑Porcel R, Rodríguez‑Zamudio J, Barba‑Capote C, Olvera‑Porcel MC, González‑Redondo P (2023). Impacto de la desaparición del sistema de cuotas lácteas en la estructura productiva de las explotaciones de vacuno lechero en la Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía (España). ITEA‑Información Técnica Económica Agraria 119(1): 30-53. https://doi.org/10.12706/itea.2022.005