After sunflower oil and mustard, could France experience another food shortage this year?
This is what fears Yannick Fialip, president of the economic commission of the FNSEA.
Invited to speak at the microphone of
France Info
, Friday August 5, the breeder was alarmist: "
I think that in the coming months, we will have a shortage of milk in France
".
In question, the drought and the high temperatures that burn the grass.
The animals must therefore be fed from now on with fodder.
A blow while stocks, normally made up for the winter, are likely to be low because of the bad harvests which are announced.
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"
To make milk, you need fodder, mainly alfalfa and corn, which have grown little this year
," explained Yannick Fialip.
However, this is combined with a strong early demand: “
We have animals, which are usually in the meadows during this period, which have nothing left to eat.
It is necessary to bring fodder stored this spring, which was intended to feed the animals in winter, which is used from July and August
”.
“
The mechanically resulting drop in production will inevitably have consequences for milk production
,” warned the FNSEA in a press release.
Obtain priority use of water
To cope, the agricultural union is asking for several support measures, in particular on cash flow from all stakeholders (banks, suppliers, etc.).
Yannick Fialip, for his part, hopes for an increase in the price per liter paid to producers to "
ensure the sustainability of the sector
".
More generally, the FNSEA would like the use of water to be directed as a priority towards food production, even if it means pumping in areas of ecological interest.
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Finally, the syndicate calls for the rapid implementation of a harvest insurance system, the final parameters of which have yet to be settled, so that it is operational on January 1, 2023,