Dairy farmers expect Germany to feel milk strike pinch
As German dairy farmers continued their delivery strike on Friday, the BDM dairy association said it expected milk would start to become scarce on the fourth day of protests over low prices.
Businesses that rely on milk delivery have already cut production, the BDM said on Friday.
The Association of Dairy Producers (MIV), which represents the creameries on the other side of the protest, said it had not seen any cutbacks, particularly in grocery stores.
“The consequences of a continued or expanded strike are not measurable,” the MIV said in a statement.
MIV spokesperson Michael Brandl said he expected deliveries to be down by 20 to 30 percent. BDM leader Romuald Schaber said German residents could expect a 70 percent reduction in deliveries, though, with cheese producers beginning to suffer.
Grocery stores reported full shelves and called warnings of nation-wide strikes “outlandish fearmongering.” There is no end in sight to the strike, which has some 30,000 German dairy farmers halting deliveries. Meanwhile farmers across Europe are showing solidarity and beginning strikes of their own.
BDM leader Schaber said the dairy farmers could continue the strike for 10 to 14 days. The farmers are demanding an increase in milk prices to 43 cents per liter, after seeing prices fall to between 28 and 34 cents.
Milk that goes undelivered during the strike will be fed to the farmer’s calves.
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Businesses that rely on milk delivery have already cut production, the BDM said on Friday.
The Association of Dairy Producers (MIV), which represents the creameries on the other side of the protest, said it had not seen any cutbacks, particularly in grocery stores.
“The consequences of a continued or expanded strike are not measurable,” the MIV said in a statement.
MIV spokesperson Michael Brandl said he expected deliveries to be down by 20 to 30 percent. BDM leader Romuald Schaber said German residents could expect a 70 percent reduction in deliveries, though, with cheese producers beginning to suffer.
Grocery stores reported full shelves and called warnings of nation-wide strikes “outlandish fearmongering.” There is no end in sight to the strike, which has some 30,000 German dairy farmers halting deliveries. Meanwhile farmers across Europe are showing solidarity and beginning strikes of their own.
BDM leader Schaber said the dairy farmers could continue the strike for 10 to 14 days. The farmers are demanding an increase in milk prices to 43 cents per liter, after seeing prices fall to between 28 and 34 cents.
Milk that goes undelivered during the strike will be fed to the farmer’s calves.
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