Milk crisis: negotiations fail, Lactalis made a gesture – The Point

After eleven hours of talks, negotiations between farmers and the Lactalis group failed. Producers angry block since Monday Laval headquarters of world number one, accused of buying milk at too low a price. The meeting held at the House of milk in Paris, ended with a failure drawn up by the mediator Francis Amand trade relations. Despite this failure, the Lactalis group announced Friday an increase of 15 euros per tonne of milk as from 1 September, 271 euros. “At the meeting with the producers’ organizations, which was held on Thursday August 25 at the Maison du Lait, in the presence of Mr. Francis Amand, mediator of agricultural trade relations, the Lactalis group, to reflect the real difficulties by milk producers, wanted to make an extra effort on milk prices, with an increase of 15 euros / 1 000 liters in the month of September, “the company said in a statement.

“I am very disappointed about the method, I had the impression that the representatives of producer organizations were not in a capacity to make their positions and they were dictated from Laval. We’re back to zero, n ‘are more mediation possible in this framework “, said Francis Amand before this announcement. The blockade of the Lactalis plant, which began Monday night, will continue, for his part assured Laval president of the FDSEA Mayenne, Philippe Jehan, after the failure of negotiations on the price of milk in Paris. “The movement continues. It will come with a victory,” he told the press.

Proposals sufficient

Francis Amand said he had made a “proposal last chance to EUR 280 thousand liters” for the last five months of 2016, had an offer accepted Lactalis, criticized by the milk producers Federation for the low price offered to farmers. At 256.90 per tonne bought in July, Lactalis was actually far behind the group and the Laïta Silav company (290 euros per ton) or dairy Holy Father, a subsidiary of Intermarché, which pays farmers the 300 euros 1000 liters. Before the talks with Lactalis, producers demanding “visibility to the end of the year and a written commitment on a new method of fixing the price of milk,” explained Florent Renaudier, milk producer and member of Mayenne Board of Directors of the NPFL, dairy branch of the FNSEA. “But representatives of producers felt that this (the latest proposal to 280 euros) was not enough,” said the Ombudsman.

The Lactalis spokesman Michel Nalet denounced his side the role of farmers’ union FNSEA, which, he said, “caused a number of producer organizations not to take decisions. it will have to take the consequences.” He did not elaborate, saying only that the group would hold a meeting on Friday to discuss. For its part, Sébastien Amand (who is not related to the mediator, note), vice president of the organization of the Channel milk producers, said that there is “still a space of discussion possible in hours or days. “

” We were robbed “

Late in the evening, about 1000 people gathered on the roundabout of the” shame milk “, surrounded by nearly 150 tractors. “Last year, we got to have. We will not leave without an agreement to stop this downward spiral,” explained Philippe Jehan, one of the spokesmen of the producers. Jeremy Tremeau, president of Young Farmers of the Loire Valley, said he was determined to continue to “put pressure”. “We want to live peacefully in our business. It is stolen, it is not normal. We want to initiate change.” On the gates of the factory, banners were hung. “President Camembert runny producers” could be read there.

“We do not want to be assisted by the state, we want to earn a decent wage with a price correct milk” , said Sylvie, a farmer of the Sarthe in contract with Bel group (laughing Cow). The protesters vowed not lift the blockade if they were getting the “right” price for their milk. Last summer, the roundtables were followed for weeks at the Ministry of Agriculture before reaching agreement on the price of meat and milk. It has never been applied. A producer in five in France working for Lactalis or 20% of the French collection, or 5 billion liters of milk collected from a total of 25 billion produced annually in France.

In addition to well-known brands in France (Lactel, Bridel, President, Lanquetot, Roquefort Société …), Lactalis has become a global giant by absorbing many groups abroad. It is especially present in Italy since 2011 and its hostile takeover of Parmalat, Turkey and India.