For several years now, the European dairy sector has been suffering from overproduction. This has led to a fall in prices, making it impossible for European farmers to make a living from their work.
For the agri-businesses, it’s more like a godsend. They buy milk at low prices, then turn to West African markets to sell the surplus. But when it gets there, the milk isn’t really milk any more! It’s a skimmed powder that has been fattened with palm oil and costs up to 30% less than local milk. This fake milk is invading and suffocating the local industry and African farmers.
Breeders
Here and elsewhere
let’s support breeders
Our recommendations
- Adopt supply management measures for European milk production in the event of a crisis, to avoid structural and cyclical overproduction.
- Establish fair trade relations between the European Union and Africa
- Support local African industries through a coherent development policy.
The campaign in figures
6
Partners of the campaign
1
mobilisation action at the European Commission
48
media relays
Progress
Our coalition of NGOs and farmers’ representatives has scored its first victories six months after the launch of the campaign.
The European Commission has created a specific tariff line to monitor exports of milk powder re-fattened with vegetable fats, thus responding to a recommendation of the campaign. This measure will provide transparent data on trade in this product from the European Union. In addition, the campaign was taken into account at an internal European Commission seminar, demonstrating the impact of its messages. Meetings were also held with representatives of West African livestock farmers and MEPs, demonstrating an openness to dialogue.
Despite these victories, the campaign will continue in a second phase, as more action is needed to ensure the coherence of European policies and promote the development of peasant farming in the South.