RABDF welcomes EU milk market situation report
24 July 2009
The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmer has welcomed this week’s EU milk market situation report saying that the European Commission’s plans to stick with the quota proposals agreed in the Health Check aimed at creating a free market place, are important to the UK milk sector’s competitiveness.
“The short term measures that have been recently introduced by the EC, including private storage aid and export refunds, have gone some way towards stabilising commodity markets in the EU, however we recognise that we should not have to rely on these in the long term,” comments RABDF chairman, Lyndon Edwards. “The UK dairy sector will not be affected by the proposals from organisations in other member states to freeze or reduce quota and therefore it is in UK dairy farmers’ best interests that we stay on track with plans for their removal by 2015.
“The current UK milk marketplace is not as badly affected as some other parts of the EU, and we’re pleased that the EC has not buckled under pressure to implement measures which could damage progress in the UK for a stable market place.”
He adds: “We hope that the UK government is listening to the other measures to support the sector. For example, introducing clear labelling standards for dairy products will ensure the consumer purchases a product that they know that is 100% dairy based, not a vegetable oil replacement. This can only help the market. In addition, actions such as making additional funds available through the rural development policy will aid the industry to restructure.”
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