In 2021, almost 20% of milk from organic farming has been “downgraded” and mixed with conventional milk. For independent producers of large dairies, the loss amounts to around 8,000 euros in 2021 alone.
Consumption of “ultra fresh organic” products fell by 8% in 2021. The fault is the health crisis and the sudden change in French consumption habits since 2020. Before the health crisis, organic milk was on the rise and many farmers were “converting” to organic. From now on, there is an overproduction of organic milk in France, a large part of the production is downgraded. Concretely, it is sold at the price of the conventional.
A loss that Biolait cannot amortize
About a third of French organic milk production is harvested by the “Biolait” group of cooperators (1,400 contributors across France, including 730 in Brittany alone). This group does not process this milkbut is only responsible for collecting it and bringing it to a hundred customers: “from the small creamer to the big dairy“explains Ludovic Billard, president of Biolait and milk producer in the Côtes-d’Armor.
For them, this downgrading of organic milk has direct consequences on the income of breeders. “When other conventional dairies have both organic milk and conventional milk, they can play and take from the conventional piggy bank to pay a little more for the organic milk […] we are taking the crisis full force!” annoys Guillaume Aveline, organic milk producer in Chavagne (Ille-et-Vilaine).
About 8,000 euros in losses per producer at Biolait
In 2021 alone, Biolait estimates that its cooperators have lost an average of 8,000 euros in profits on the year 2021 “and this could rise to 10,000 euros in 2022“ fears the president of Biolait.
Breeders hope for a return of consumers to organic
“Consumers are finding it difficult to come back to organic and that is the problem” recognizes Ludovic Billard. If producers hope for this return to organic milk“it’s so that we can make a better living from our profession, but also for the environment and the health of consumers“.