Urgent Measures Needed to Save Spanish Livestock
SPAIN - The Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UPA) has called on the Ministry of Agriculture to hold an immediate meeting and come up with urgent measures to help Spanish livestock producers. The increase in production costs is so great that bankruptcy is threatening Spanish farming.
6 August 2012
2 minute read
UPA says that the Spanish livestock sector is immersed in a crisis of profitability that is compounded daily, as production costs increase and farmers are unable to translate those gains to the food chain. Livestock Secretary for UPA, Roman Santalla, said that livestock "cannot wait for after the summer" for the implementation of a plan to rebalance the sector.
UPA has stressed that overnight the price of feed has risen between 5 and 7 cents.
The prices of soybeans rose from $380 / ton from June 1, to $546 / ton on August 1, according to the international reference slices. The price volatility of raw materials used in animal feed has become a structural problem for livestock. In this context, UPA stated that it is "fundamental" for farmers to have information of the prices of raw materials and feed.
UPA has demanded a more rapid publication of statistics relating to the price of agricultural products. Currently, the average prices of products such as soy, corn, barley, straw or alfalfa are published with a delay of up to four months, criticised Mr Santalla.
The organisation has criticised the current system of statistics, because it consumes resources of the authorities and is not useful for producers. "In this time of crisis we need the highest levels of information and transparency to try to adapt to market fluctuations and to maintain our business," concluded Mr Santalla.
TheCattleSite News Desk
