Dairy crisis poses ‘job risk for millions’

MILLIONS of jobs in the EU food industry that depend on dairy produce are at risk as farmers are forced to produce milk below cost, warned president of the Europe-wide farmers’ union, Padraig Walshe.

Yesterday, he led a group of close to 8,000 farmers from all EU countries – including more than 90 from Ireland – in Luxembourg where EU agriculture ministers were meeting.

They demanded that more action be taken by the ministers and by the European Commission to help them through the most difficult time they have faced in the past 20 years.

Mr Walshe, who recently took over the job of president of Copa, said the dramatic fall in milk prices has plunged farmers into a severe crisis that has continued for months.

“We must have an immediate response from our agriculture ministers. We are here today to demand it. Without farmers, there is no food. Unless urgent action is taken the future of Europe’s food supplies could be at risk,” he said.

Farmers in mountainous or difficult areas that produce 60% of EU milk were having exceptional difficulties, he warned.

Farmers were now being paid 20c a litre for milk that was costing them 27c a litre to produce in Ireland, he told the massive crowd.

In other parts of the EU, the prices were even worse with some farmers getting only half what it costs them to produce milk, he said.

Retailers were putting huge pressure on farmers, who could not continue to produce milk at a loss.

The plight of dairy farmers was acknowledged by Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith, who was at the meeting in Luxembourg.

He said he was concerned price returns to dairy farmers in Ireland are now at levels that threaten the very viability of many farm enterprises.