On Tuesday 21 August, the European Milk Board (EMB) called for crisis management instruments to relieve farmers of the “direct effects of the drought” (see EUROPE 12077).
In addition, the EMB considers skimmed milk powder currently held in EU intervention stocks should be kept off the market at the moment “because this would only put further pressure on the low milk prices”, which are currently averaging at just under 33 cents/litre in the EU.
“Due to the consequences of the ongoing drought, farmers all across Europe are facing major difficulties”, the milk board states. Farmers in the sector have already dug into their reserves and many farmers are now in debt.
EMB President Erwin Schöpges also calls for longer-term measures, including a mechanism to put an end to crises, namely the Market Responsibility Programme (MRP): temporary adjustment of volumes in times of crisis to bring prices up. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)