Four cents more for every liter of milk. After more than a month of negotiations between farmers, the processing industry and large-scale distribution, the Ministry of Agriculture was signed to raise the price of the raw material supplied by the stables. The extra-remuneration mechanism for breeders involves several steps: large-scale distribution undertakes to recognize a “stable emergency” premium which is paid to processing companies, which in turn pay it in full to breeders, up to 3 euro cents per liter of milk, with a maximum intervention threshold of € 0.41 per liter. Processors, including cooperatives, then undertake to pay their farmers an additional premium of up to 1 euro cent per liter of milk within the 41 cents threshold. The prices refer to the milk delivered to the Lombardy region, where more than half of the national production is collected and which is the benchmark for all the other regions. The agreement is valid until March 31, 2022.
The application of the agreement will be followed by a public awareness campaign on the consumption of milk and derivatives and for the enhancement of a national production that exceeds 12 million tons per year. «The memorandum of understanding is a result made possible by the efforts of all the parties that make up the supply chain – said the Minister of Agricultural Policies, Stefano Patuanelli in a video on Facebook -. It is a fundamental step, because it protects our excellence in the sector, put under pressure by increasingly narrow margins due to the increase in the costs of raw materials ».
Coldiretti satisfied: “The agreement saves the remaining 26 thousand Italian dairy stalls which during the year 2021 had to undergo a significant increase in production costs with an increase in the cost of raw materials and fodder – said the president of Coldiretti, Ettore Prandini – it is a question of enhancing the national dairy sector, which has a value of over 16 billion euros, employs over 100,000 people and generates a positive impact in terms of income and social cohesion in the country “.
The president of Confagricoltura, Massimiliano Giansanti, defines the agreement as «an important result to give breath to farms. We are particularly satisfied – he added – that our proposal to make the table structural has been accepted with a specific ministerial decree that will make dialogue and discussion permanent, in the common interest of overcoming the critical issues and identifying any possible initiative useful to support the sector. “.
“As it has always done, confirming it even in these very difficult months, Assolatte and the Italian dairy industries continue the path of dialogue, with the sense of responsibility that distinguishes them”, wrote the association of the processing industries in a note. «We understand the difficulties faced by farmers – said its president, Paolo Zanetti – which are also ours. We have been repeating this for some time: the increases are also dramatically affecting our companies, pressed for months by costs that until now they have absorbed in silence, but which they can no longer bear ».
By joining the Protocol for the protection of Italian farms, Assolatte has also undertaken to promote the contents of the agreement among its members.