European farmers are divided in trying to find a solution to the dairy crisis that’s engulfing farmers around the globe.
It’s the second year of low prices for farmers, with large dairy sectors struggling to cope.
Some countries are calling for more subsidies, while others are calling for lower production as dairy farmers continue to exit the industry.
German dairy farmer Christoph Lupshen isn’t shy about telling people how hard it is to be a dairy farmer in Europe.
“Right now I earn nothing, every morning I go into the barn I must take some money with me,” he said.
“It’s terrible but it’s true.”
Photo: International journalists interview German dairy farmer Christoph Lupshen at his farm near Bonn.
In Northern Ireland, which exports 80 per cent of its dairy, journalist Chris McCulloch says many are giving up.
“Unfortunately the next year ahead for some of them means the end of it, seriously means the end of it because they’ve said [the] first year they could cope but this year they can’t it’s just impossible.
“If you look in the agricultural press, every week there are some more dairy herds in the thing for sale.
“From what I heard from a local estate agent recently, he had another 18 herds on his books for this year, to be sold or dispersed.”
In the Netherlands, the majority of dairy farmers are getting 25 Euro cents (37 Australian cents) per litre, which is still seen as below cost of production.
Sjoerd Hofstee, a journalist from the Netherlands, said his country was traditionally a richer dairying nation.
But he said farmers in his country were happy to do it tough as it might make the industry easier in the long run.
“A lot of farmers, they say we struggle, this is not fun, not good but to be honest it’s just the market and maybe we need it to clean it up a bit.”
Mr Lupschen agreed the only way to fix the problems of the world market was to lower production – something he was happy for his country to lead the way with.
“We must start [lowering production] by ourselves.
“Like every problem you cannot look at your neighbour, you must start it by yourself.”
Source: ABC Rural
