Milk producers under threat from price falls

Dairy farmers are stepping up protests across several European countries.

The market has deteriorated rapidly in the past four weeks, according to European farmers and their co-ops.

Umbrella body Copa Cogeca predicts that milk producers will be forced out of business by winter unless crucial action is taken by the European Union. Milk Working Party chairman Mansel Raymond said the market is in a more perilous state than it was one month ago with producer prices far below production costs.