25.11.2009

Blocades of milk laboratories in France - 60 % of french milk volume cannot be delivered

 

Especially in the western part of France milk laboratories are actually blocked by a large number of dairy farmers.  According to the french dairy farmers' association "Association des producteurs de lait indépendants (APLI)" about 60% of the french milk volume won't be delivered. With this action farmers want to dispose the branch organisation "Interprofession" to discuss the already defined price of December on one hand and to decide fair prices for the months of January to March 2010 on the other hand. Also dairy farmers demand the attendance at price discussions not only of representatives of the conservative National Farmers' Union, but also of the dairy farmers' basis. 

"The protests of dairy farmers have been organised by the french dairy farmers' associations, Organisation des Producteurs laitiers (OPL),  CONF, which represent interests much more than the farmers' association Fédération Nationale des Producteurs de Lait (FNPL), who attends negotiations of the branch organisation", says a spokesman of APLI. These organisations, which are very close to the basis, have to have a big influence at decisions concerning the milk price .

As reported by APLI, representatives of dairies as well as politics are ready to accept these demands. Problematic is the position of FNPL. Until now it does not show any willingness to integrate the dairy farmers' organisations of the basis into their discussions.