“Nearly 450 million liters of milk will no longer be collected by 2030 by Lactalis, which is the world number one in milk,” recalled Arnaud Rousseau, the president of the FNSEA this morning on France Info . This represents 2% of French milk. [C’est] an explosion, clearly, for the dairy sector. We need to continue to fight to produce milk uniquely. »
“We talk […] of the share of collected milk that is sold internationally »
The president of the FNSEA recalled that Lactalis, during negotiations last spring with its producer organizations, “had suggested that it was having difficulties with the share of the market that is exported. We talk […] of the share of collected milk that is sold internationally. For Lactalis, this represents approximately a third of its volumes. »
The question for the president of the FNSEA now is the future of the producers affected by this announcement. “My concern this morning is first and foremost the producers,” insists Arnaud Rousseau. We will have to have discussions. The goal for us is that those who want to continue producing milk find a structure that continues to collect it. This is what is at stake in continuing to create value and establishing a presence in France. »
“This is neither worthy of a world leader nor understandable”
The National Federation of Milk Producers (FNPL) reacted quickly to the dairy manufacturer’s announcement. In a press release issued this Thursday morning, September 26, 2024, she judges that “this disengagement is unacceptable: it is neither worthy of a world leader, nor understandable when the markets are holding vigorously (ingredients and internal market)”.
The FNPL questions the consequences of such a decision. “How can we ensure that tomorrow milk producers will still be collected in all territories, without interregional competition taking hold? » The union is demanding from Lactalis “a much longer period for the producers concerned to identify alternatives”.
The decision of the dairy industry is judged to go against the roadmap set by the dairy inter-professional association, that is to say the reconquest of a billion liters of milk by the French sector. “Lactalis is literally attacking the sustainability of the dairy industry and French food sovereignty,” protests the FNPL.
Support from the Minister of Agriculture
Late in the afternoon, this September 26, the Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard received representatives of the specialized association of the FNSEA. She assured the president of the FNPL “of her full support and commitment alongside producers to maintain dairy activity on the farms concerned”.
“It is necessary for everyone, upstream and downstream, to unite their efforts and their will to defend our food productive capital, in the dairy sector as in others,” said the minister quoted in the press release. This will be my priority. I expect the same commitment and ambition for French food production from our industrial leaders. »
Claire Charrassin and Eric Roussel
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