Buy Luxembourg milk, urge local farmers

(CS/mas) With the agricultural sector feeling the pinch of low prices for its produce, Luxembourg farmers are urging the public to buy local while calling on politicians to seek solutions.

Food prices hit a six-year low in August, with dairy prices particularly affected. Luxembourg has also felt the effects of these global trends.

With dairy production a key pillar of its agricultural sector, the cost per kilogramme of milk has plummeted from 37 to 27 cents. “This is equivalent to monthly losses of 3,500 to 4,500 euros,” Marc Fisch, president of the “Centrale Paysanne”, said Friday.

A dairy crisis summit is set to address the issue, with Luxembourg farmers calling on Agriculture Minister Fernand Etgen to take a stand and support measures that would help ease the situation.

On a national level this could include financial support for investments, the management of environmental regulations, of aid to help pay social charges and market products.

Farmers also would like to see consumers buy more local products to support the country's industry. Here, too, they said that political decision-makers can help. The fact that less than half of communes continue to take part in a school milk programme shows the need for action, they argued.

However, at Friday's press conference farmers also said that Etgen should live up to Luxembourg's role holding the EU presidency until the end of the year to seek EU solutions.

“Policy-makers last year knew the effects the Russian embargo on European export would have – then they should now help the affected branches,” commented Camille Schroeder of a local farmers' association.

Concerns over food prices and the negative effect on the agricultural sector recently led to protests and motorway blockades by farmers in Belgium and France. Luxembourg's farmers are not yet envisioning such steps.