Raw milk producers are complaining

The Association of All Milk, Meat and Breeding Cattle Breeders (TÜSEDAD) has reacted to the National Milk Council's (USK) decision to set the raw milk reference price at 14.65 TL per liter, an increase of 8.5 percent.

TÜSEDAD warned industrialists who may attempt to purchase below the announced raw milk recommended price starting May 1, 2024, or who may try to form a cartel in this regard, noting that they will file formal complaints if such situations are reported.

TÜSEDAD's statement is as follows:

"Our association, which has repeatedly voiced the ongoing problems of our country's livestock industry, stated in every forum for the last 4 years that the reason for the rise in meat prices is raw milk prices and that the slaughter of female animals would accelerate. At this point, the announcement by the National Milk Council (USK) on April 15, 2024, setting the raw milk recommended price, which was 13.50 TL/liter, at 14.65 TL/liter with an 8.51% increase, effective from May 1, is unacceptable for our producers.

In an environment where inflation is announced at 68.50% (TUIK), more than 50% of feed raw materials are imported, and all production inputs are rising rapidly, an 8.51% increase in the raw milk price is a blow dealt by the USK to the country's livestock industry. Despite all the warnings we have made for years and the raw milk cost we have announced based on scientific and farm realities, both the USK and our industrialists who process raw milk ignore the rise in red meat prices caused by the slaughter of female animals. However, milk and meat production are two interconnected branches of production. Our producers, who sell below or at the cost limit, are exiting production by having their animals slaughtered. This is a clear situation perceived by everyone.

It is quite regrettable that industrialists, who process raw milk and are the sole buyers of milk producers, are disregarding the recommended price announced by the USK and are attempting to suppress producer prices through price-reduction policies they have formed among themselves for March, April, and even May. Our producers are being crushed under this pressure from industrialists and are choosing to exit production by slaughtering their female animals instead of selling at a loss. In this case, the rise in red meat prices becomes inevitable, and this vicious cycle cannot be broken.

With the belief that there will be no industrialists who want to purchase below the announced raw milk recommended price starting from May 1, 2024, or who try to form a cartel on this issue, we state that when such a situation is reported by our producers, we will file an official complaint with the Competition Authority and the Ministry of Trade's Unfair Price Evaluation Board. We present our respects."

News Source: 12punto