Protesting dairy farmers reach deal
‘Long and difficult negotiations’ finally result in a deal after last ditch talks on the milk crisis.
DAIRY farmers protesting over falling wholesale milk prices have struck an agreement with the government after last-ditch talks late last night.
The Ministry of Agriculture announced an agreement with industry federations of an average price of €280 per thousand litres of milk and has agreed to pump a further €30m into the industry in 2009.
The agreement, which the ministry said “comes after a long and difficult negotiation,” was reached just before midnight after last-ditch discussions between representatives of three trade unions at the Ministry of Agriculture in the presence of two mediators named by the government.
President of national agricultural union the FNSEA (which incorporates national milk producers unions the FNPL) Jean-Michel Lemétayer, welcomed what he described as a “courageous” agreement.
He said: “We have had to fight for hours upon hours for this agreement, and even if it does not seem that much to producers, it obliges companies to respect this arrangement.”
The night before, no agreement had been reached despite 12 hours of negotiations.
Farmers across the country have been protesting over prices which they say have fallen 30% in the past month.
General secretary of the FNSEA Dominique Barrau said: “At €280, we are slightly above the return price, but it is not enough to make any revenue. However it would be worse without an agreement.”
Farmers were initially asking for a price of €305 for every thousand litres, while industrialists were proposing €267.
