“It started on Saturday morning, with the note from the Jumbo in Sint-Oedenrode,” says Gertie Schouten of dairy farm Schouten-Sleutjes. Delivery problems, it said on the shelf.
“It must be about money, I thought, about negotiations. But when I saw the note about the drought, I thought: I’m going to tell the honest story on Facebook.”
(The various letters of apology have been collected in the tweet below from Member of Parliament Caroline van der Plas of the BoerBurgerBeweging.)
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Gertie Schouten: “The honest story is not that there is no milk due to the drought. Jumbo did not want to pay what Campina asks for the milk on behalf of many farmers. This caused problems in the stocks.”
Other farmers also gave Jumbo online this weekend. Especially the letter of apology about the drought made many pissed off.
‘There is enough milk’
FrieslandCampina does not want to answer questions about negotiations with Jumbo today. A spokesperson: “What I can say is that we can supply milk as usual, there is no supply problem on our side.”
The large dairy company is a cooperative with about 15,000 dairy farmers as members. “The farmers receive a guaranteed price for their milk from us and we negotiate with the retailer again [zoals Jumbo, red.] about the price of the dairy products we make from them.”
Supermarket Jumbo does not want to say more than that there was an ‘issue’ that has been resolved. A limited number of stores were affected by the stock problem. Drought and too little moist grass has been wrongly cited as the cause, a spokesperson now admits.
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“I’m glad Campina has kept its footing,” says farmer Gertie Schouten. “It is not only the high energy and fuel costs for the tractor, but also the feed for the cows and the fertilizer will become much more expensive. At the moment we can manage, but if the price comes under pressure if, for example, a supermarket does not want to pay, then it will be difficult for us too.”
Milk price historically high
The dairy shelves became empty shortly after the announcement of the new milk price that dairy farmers are paid, which is historically high. Globally, there is slightly less supply than demand and that has pushed the milk price up since the middle of last year.
“I now get 52.5 cents per liter of milk, I can’t remember such a high price,” says farmer Edwin Sengers. “That’s great, but if you compare that yield against the costs, it’s just about the same. A few years ago I got 30 to 35 cents per liter of milk, but then the price for cow feed was at a completely different level. I for 20 to 30 euros 100 kilos, now that is almost 60 euros.”
fourth generation
Sengers also expressed his frustration online this weekend: “HELLO JUMBO, what are we doing? Can the farmer also just get the expenses paid with a little margin…”
“I am generation number four in this dairy,” he says over the phone, “and I hope many generations will follow. I want a cost-effective market price for dairy and meat that gives the farmer opportunities to make investments for the future. In a good future, with attention to the environment, biodiversity, animal welfare and the environment.”
While calling, he is mowing the lawn, 25 acres to be exact, to save as winter fodder for later. “Tell Jumbo not to worry. We still have enough moist grass in stock to feed the cows.”
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Is dairy more expensive in the supermarket?
Whether the higher costs are partly passed on to the consumer depends on contract negotiations between the supermarket and the dairy producer, says Martin Valstar of trade association ZuivelNL.
The production of dairy products has become more expensive in several ways. Not only because of the rising milk prices, but also because of the higher energy and feed costs for the farmer, higher energy costs for the factory that processes the milk and the higher costs for the transport of the butter or cheese made from it. Valstar: “And the global dairy market is also affected by the war in Ukraine, which brings uncertainty.”
The passing on of higher costs is done more with one product than with another product. The seller, often a supermarket, has to take into account his own income, but also what the consumer is willing to pay for it. Moreover, the producer of the dairy products also wants a good price for his products.
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