French milk production below milk quota
The French dairy sector produced under its national milk quota. This means that France does not need to pay milk super levy over the year 2013/14.
The total French milk production, until the end of March, amounted a total of 23.7 billion litres, according to the Statistical Service (SSP) of the French Ministry of Agriculture. France therefore remains below the 1.5 billion litres of national milk quota for that year. However, the SSP addresses that the milk production in the last few months of the milk year accelerated to a great extent.
In March, the total milk production was 7% higher than the year before. In April (start of the new milk year) this already increased to a 9% difference compared to the year before. “These figures show that against the background of high milk prices, the fear of a financial penalty did not stop the farmers to increase their production,” according to the ministry.
SSP further reports that the average milk price in April amounted to € 345 per 1000 litres (34.5 cents per litre). This is € 33.50 more than in April 2013.
Co-written with Emmy Koeleman
