Overview
- Producers in Cantabria, who faced offers Monday of 5–7 euro cents less per liter, rallied at Leche Celta’s Meruelo plant and urged fellow farmers not to sign new contracts.
- Processors are proposing to replace annual contracts with shorter quarterly or four‑month terms, a shift farmers reject because it adds price risk to already thin margins.
- The regional agriculture ministry said there are no clear market reasons for the cuts and will convene the Mesa Láctea on April 10 to review the proposals and possible abuses.
- Farmers point to soaring costs such as diesel, which Agaprol says is still about 44% above pre-crisis levels even with a 20‑cent subsidy, and warn many herds cannot produce at a loss.
- The industry counters that EU milk supply is high and imports from countries like France and Portugal are cheaper, with FeNIL noting Spanish farmers now receive some of the highest prices among large EU producers.