Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen warned “Dairy products make a very important contribution to a nutritious and balanced diet at the same time as ensuring growth and jobs in EU rural areas. But the sector is undergoing a very difficult time and its crucial action is taken to improve its viability and ensure that we have a competitive industry in the future capable of meeting rising demand”.
Outlining key actions, Chairman of Copa-Cogeca Working Party Mansel Raymond said “We are experiencing a difficult short term market situation.The situation at world level, with China not yet back on the market and unexpected political events like the Russian export ban as well as a lack of proper functioning of the supply chain have contributed to today’s EU market instability, with a declining trend in the price paid to milk producers. Pressure is being felt, and many producers are suffering a serious cash flow problem . If the situation continues, they will be forced out of business which will have major repercussions on the economies of EU rural areas”.
“That is why we believe that Member States must be allowed to advance direct payments paid to producers before December 1st and that the 2014/2015 superlevy is returned to the dairy sector to help dairy farmers with their cash flow. Around 700 million € will be taken out of the dairy sector as a result of the huge superlevy bill. We need the money to go back to the sector, be it for investments, less favoured areas, promotion (including external) and quality schemes”.
“There are farmers today who are paid a price for their milk which is well below the safety net level. This is not the objective of the safety nets in the first place. The European Commission has been dragging its’ heels in this respect. We therefore call for the public intervention level for milk to be assessed in order to reflect production costs and put a real floor in the market. Finally, there are export opportunities ahead for the dairy sector. A reflection should be conducted on how the risk with new export markets can be covered”.
Mr Pesonen went on to urge Mr Siekierski to carry our message forward set out in a statement presented at the event, stressing dairy producers count on you!
At the event ”The EU dairy sector: a nutritious and sustainable way forward”, which was hosted by MEP Siekierski, our members provided delicious products showcasing the wide range of products on offer across the EU, which can be found in the annex.
Annex
Products included a variety of quality blue mould cheese Aura and Black label Emmental cheese from the Finnish dairy cooperative Valio. Also cheese was provided by our Portuguese member organisation CAP, Estonia with Alder-smoked Estonian cheese and the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture LKO. Litres of quality milk “Bande des Félaits” from our Wallonian Belgian farmers organisation FWA was also on display as well as quality dairy products like yoghurt from our Polish member organisations. Delicious Kerrygold butter and Irish cheese was provided by the Irish Farmers Association (IFA). European cheese which goes well with the traditional Japanese Sake and ensures a good export market for our produce was there to enjoy. We also tasted scones with clotted cream and jam from the UK as well as delicious Stilton (PGI)and cheddar cheese. But without action, these regional specialities won’t be there anymore for consumers to enjoy. Action is vital.
