Luis Planas gives the keys to the future of the dairy sector

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in operation, Luis Planas, said Wednesday in his visit to dairy cooperatives in Galicia, that the future of the dairy sector is to increase value, export and generational change.

He stressed that the Ministry works to provide stability to the sector and recalled that last March “we modified the decree on the ‘dairy package’ to improve the current system” and that last December “we approved another decree in relation to with the dairy origin of the products, for a better identification and valuation of them ”. It has also valued written contracts that have been a “very positive” element.

The minister participated this Wednesday in the inauguration of the XII Congress of Agrarian Economy in Lugo. He mentioned that the Ministry works on a draft royal decree for the management of the beef sector, both meat and milk, to support a harmonious growth and development of the sector. Among other measures, Planas has detailed, after visiting the Clesa and CLUN dairy cooperatives in Galicia, the objective is to improve the productive, zootechnical and sanitary management of the farms and the resources necessary to carry out their activity.

During its visit to United Dairy Cooperatives (CLUN), the union of three cooperatives and the largest recent cooperative integration project in Galicia, Planas has influenced the commitment of the Government of Spain to provide stability and facilitate an orderly growth of the sector through of this norm.

He has valued the work of cooperatives, companies linked to the rural world, which are all an example, but that have to continue to gain in size to increase the value of their productions. He has also called on the dairy sector to continue advancing in Producer organizations, a figure that strengthens their negotiating role and allows them to improve the structures of transformation and sale to generate greater added value.

In March 2019, the Government approved a royal decree to improve the bargaining power of producers or include value sharing clauses in the contracts.

Galicia concentrates 38% of the production of cow’s milk in Spain

The minister stressed that Galicia concentrates 38% of the total production of Spain that in 2018 exceeded 7.1 million tons, 1.4% more compared to 2017. The autonomies of the Cantabrian cornice (Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country) account for more than half of the milk production and account for 80% of the farmers.

The minister has pointed out that, after the end of milk quotas in 2015, the sustainability of the sector has become dependent on its own capacity to modernize and compete, which is related to the size and the fact that the number of farms has decreased by 6% per year, but not the production that has increased. It has encouraged the sector to continue advancing in the differentiation of products, with greater added value, betting on quality, animal welfare and sustainability, but also in the diversification of processed products and foreign markets.

In order to facilitate the consumer’s choice, since January of this year a new rule is in force that requires labeling the origin of milk. This royal decree has been much demanded by the sector, because it provides a plus of transparency and differentiation.

BREXIT

In his appearance before the media, the minister has also referred to brexit. He pointed out that he was summoned tomorrow, Thursday, by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, to an extraordinary meeting on the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union (EU), with all the ministries affected, which is why he will not be able to attend at the inauguration of Salamaq, as planned.

Regarding the consequences for the fishing sector, Planas has commented that our claim is that the principle of relative stability be maintained, that is, that the same vessels and fleets as currently have access to British waters.