"In the last few hours with the inspectorate we have provided 100 administrative actions to the largest multinational Lactalis, which in Italy took advantage of its dominant position to review the contracts with our milk producers, lowering their income", that "it is forbidden".
This was said by the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, speaking at the Forum in Masseria underway at the Terme di Saturnia, in the province of Grosseto.
"We have given a positive signal that Lactalis respects our producers and our production costs, as the law requires", he concluded.
Lactalis has announced an appeal to the Masaf sanctions.
"In 2023 - underlines the French multinational - the proposed contractual changes allowed farmers to earn 40 million euros, over 10% more than what was initially stipulated with a price in line with the market".
For Lactalis the alleged economic damage "is totally unfounded".
Coldiretti is satisfied with the sanctions.
The president of the agricultural organisation, Ettore Prandini, speaks of "the first historic victory in a battle on milk prices which will be long and difficult, we were the only organization to denounce the multinational Lactalis because it did not respect the contracts made with the farmers , modifying them unilaterally. We demand that you now also pay the difference to the damaged farmers."
"We will not stop because for us the protection of the income of our companies is fundamental - states Prandini - for this reason we are ready to resume any form of negotiation, even with Lactalis itself, which leads to a fair valorisation of work".
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