Policy Markets

Dairy Farms Halve in Number This Century

SPAIN – The number of dairy farmers has reduced by around 23,000 since the year 2000 meaning a crucial sector is under threat.

14 January 2013

1 minute read

Europe

There are currently 22,000 dairy farms in Spain which has reduced from 55,000 twelve years ago, Miguel Blanco, Secretary General of the Coordinator of farmers’ and ranchers, told Spanish National Radio.

Reacting to industry concerns, Arias Canete, Agricultural Minister, expressed the government’s concern about the falling income of dairy farms.

He was worried about the low final price that liquid milk had on supermarkets but told Spanish National Radio that he was confident that Spanish milk production could be maintained through government policies of market intervention.

Mr Canete acknowledged that the dairy sector has been the weakest farm sector in recent months. He said that contrastingly, other agricultural sectors had shown cumulative growth rates of around ten per cent.