We are on a powder keg provide the producers

There are more than ten days to producers and processors of milk to find an agreement on the future price of milk. If, for here to on October 1 (the date on which the current contracts expire), negotiations are not successful, the dairy sector will switch in a new crisis. However, for the moment, discussions commenced in recent weeks between the representatives of the French farmers and dairy industry did encourage sobering.

"A chasm separates us", said Gilles Psalmon, Deputy Director of the Fédération nationale des producteurs de lait (FNPL). Dominique Langouet, young farmers in the West, goes further: "at a time, this will be resolved in the street. It takes the path. "End of August, after several weeks of demonstrations, blockades of factories and various actions, Breton producers had buried temporarily the hatchet with D'Entremont. The manufacturer of emmenthal noted the rates to which he buys his milk, in exchange for rapid negotiations to amend the rules of these pricing. But fault, the movement could resume. "We are on a powder keg", provide the producers.

New indicators

Industry, on the other hand, put the pressure. In particular D'Entremont. The Group controlled by Belgian billionaire Albert Frère loses currently money, including, he explained, because the price to which he pays her milk very badly following the evolution of the courses of the processed products. Currently, Entremont, Bongrain and competitors buy their milk 17 more than a year ago, while on the international markets the prices at which they sell their products fell at the same time of 37 for butter and 52 for the whey...

For more reactivity, manufacturers developed new indicators. French milk prices would then set, company by company, in service including courses in industrial products, international cheese (edam, gouda, cheddar) and Germany milk, according to the particulars provided Monday by D'Entremont. And instead of considering these courses in mobile cumulated over 12 months, as today, it is the trend in three months that would serve as a reference.

Several topics of dispute

Problem: according to initial calculations, such a mechanism would lead to lower prices paid to farmers on October 1, more than 15 to around 280 euros per 1,000 litres. Unacceptable for producers. As with the old system of pricing at the interprofessional level, challenged by the administration, "it should on the contrary slightly raise prices, argues the FNPL." So in one year the cost of food grew nearly 30 and 50 fertilizer.

This is not the only subject of dispute. For farmers, the nodal point is the role of these indicators. To impose all businesses, with a kind of one of France milk price, as was the case until this summer This is what would like the FNPL, avoid Bongrain, Bel, Lactalis and others not negotiate each different rates with their suppliers. But if they practice all the same price, industry may very be suspected of understanding...

"Waiting to settle this question in advance, we refuse to return to a technical negotiation on indicators, how to calculate, etc.", said Gilles Psalmon. The ball is now in the camp of the public authorities, seeking a compromise. No obvious solution for the moment.