The Fresh Dairy Producers Union has said farm owners producing milk and its derivatives are victims of heavy losses and said unless the government intervenes and strengthens its support for to ensure self sufficiency within the framework of the government-sponsored food security strategy this sector will continue to suffer.
President of the Union, Abdul Hakim Al-Ahmad, according to Al-Qabas daily, said the government must reconsider support provided for the production of milk and its derivatives to farmers during the current period, to ensure they do not incur additional heavy losses, and to avoid a rise in prices in the future.
Al-Ahmad explained that what is currently required is to increase the amount of support for a liter of fresh milk by the government, from 80 fils to 160 fils per liter, due to the high cost of production, especially after the Corona pandemic and the continuing repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian war on more than one side, especially in terms of shipping and transportation conditions.
The sources indicated that this subsidy has not changed since 1979, while all production costs have increased.
He pointed out that production during the current winter and the beginning of the new year ranges between 180 to 200 tons of milk per day and its derivatives from about 44 farms, after it reached 230 tons per day, due to the closure of a number of farms as a result of high material costs.
Al-Ahmad noted the continuous pursuit of farm owners to achieve self-sufficiency in food security in the future, and cooperation with all parties in this field, especially since some crises last for a long time and may recur, indicating that the average price of a liter of fresh milk is 130 fils, and the government support for it is 80 fils, while Its production cost exceeds 200 fils.