Drink UP! German Milk Delivery Strike Ends, Prices Raised

by phoenixesrose | June 6, 2008 at 02:55 am | 122 views | add comment | 0 recommendations

Once again, the local unions have won, and the retailers will raise their prices. As if 50% income taxes, and inflation wasn't bad enough here we go again.....

Published: 5 Jun 08 16:54 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/12313/

The German dairy farmer's federation (BDM) has called for members to cease their 10-day milk delivery strike over price disputes with retailers and dairy producers.

Standing before a demonstration at Berlin'sBrandenburg Gate on Thursday, BDM President Romuald Schaber toldfarmers to begin deliveries in the evening because most retail chainshad agreed to their price demands.

"The last bastions are falling," Schaber said, noting however that ifthe creameries on the other side try to "take advantage of us innegotiations, then we'll strike again."

Discount supermarket chain Lidlagreed on Wednesday to raise milk prices by €0.10 per litre and butterprices by €0.20 per package. On Thursday dairy farmers increasedpressure on other retailers with demonstrations across the country.Rewe, Netto and Plus grocery chains have also agreed to raise prices,according to the German farmer's association DBV on Thursday.

Dairy farmers have engaged in the delivery boycott since May 27 toprotest prices for milk they consider too low. Currently they are paidbetween €0.27 to €0.35 per litre, and have demanded an increase to€0.43 per litre.

Farmers have openly thrown the surplus milk down drains, fed it totheir calves, or spread it over crops. Meanwhile some consumers haddifficulty finding milk on grocery store shelves.

Dairy farmers across Europe have shown solidarity with the German strike.

DDP/The Local

This means that for 1 liter of milk, the price is now nearly 2 Eur, and the price for butter (which has already gone up in some places by 20% in the last year) is just over 1 Euro for a 200 gram package.