Sandrine Prioul / Photo credits: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP 7:54 a.m., February 28, 2024
The Lactalis stand at the Salon de l'Agriculture was invaded on Tuesday by demonstrators from the Confédération Paysanne who came to denounce the multinational's commercial practices.
They ask for a minimum increase of 20% in the purchase price to cover their costs.
Near Rennes, Laurence, who produces for Lactalis with a herd of 70 cows, describes production under constraints.
They are at the heart of the mobilization of farmers because they carry out one of the least remunerative activities.
Dairy farmers are suffering from low milk prices.
Not a day goes by without a demonstration against Lactalis being organized, even at the Agricultural Show where the multinational's stand collected its share of manure.
Milk producers are asking for a minimum increase of 20% in the purchase price to cover their costs.
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Production under the constraints of Lactalis
They who say they are tied hand and foot to their dairy, without any leverage to guarantee better income.
Due to the contract that binds them to their dairy, it is in fact impossible for them to sell their production at a higher price elsewhere.
A dependence that Lactalis would take advantage of to drive its milk purchase prices down in order to preserve its margins in this context of inflation.
Near Rennes, Laurence produces for the giant Lactalis with a herd of 70 dairy cows.
It tells of a production under constraint.
“It’s Lactalis who decides everything”
3,400 liters of milk are collected from Laurence every other evening.
The products are transformed by the manufacturer, into butter or powder, 20 minutes from here.
This commercial contract was to guarantee opportunities for farmers when the law came out in 2010. Today, the breeder denounces a burden on her feet.
"It is Lactalis which decides everything [in particular] the price. Contracts have been imposed on us. These contracts bind us with our dairy, we no longer have the choice to change dairy today and they have our means of production, that means that they are the ones who hold our right to produce and we suffer,” she says.
“Today, we are paid 420 euros per 1,000 liters for January and February, but this is below our production costs, so we are losing money. The ideal would be to be paid at least 500 euros ", she continues.
To be less dependent on milk fluctuations, Laurence has diversified into Label Rouge poultry.
But the breeder is no longer surprised to see her milk producer neighbors throw in the towel.