France in diplomatic offensive for milk supply controls

Speaking in Paris on Friday, Le Foll said France’s proposals to the Council of EU Agriculture ministers due to meet on Monday “have the support of 15 to 20 countries”.

A statement issued by his ministry included “activation by the Commission of article 222, which allows operators to bypass competition rules on an exceptionl basis and limit production temporarily” among measures agreed with friendly countries.

The ministry added that while such measures to curb milk supply are currently reserved for farming organisations, they should be extended to processors themselves “to cover the entire European production”.

“Current oversupply means that many countries are using intervention and we are going to reach the intervention ceiling,” Le Foll said.

His plan includes raising the intervention from 109,000t to 160,000t for skimmed milk powder and from 50,000t to 80,000t for butter, as well as doubling the maximum allowable state aid per farm from €15,000 to €30,000.

We are addressing milk production to stop over supply from pushing prices down

“We are addressing milk production to stop over supply from pushing prices down,” Le Foll added.

The French minister claimed he had secured the support of the Dutch presidency of the Council and that of Czeslaw Sierkierski, president of the European Parliament’s agriculture committee, during a tour of several European capitals this week.

“Other countries do not share this opinon at all: Ireland, Britain, Denmark and Sweden as far as I know,” he said.

Read more

Irish delegation set for next week's farm council meeting in Brussels

Defining week for dairy sector