Spanish producers outraged at “cut price” milk exports from Portugal at a time when their own production is restricted due to COVID19

The Spanish Union of Small Farmers and Producers (UPA) has accused Portugal, along with France and Germany, of exporting cut price milk to clear their surplus supplies.

AUPA claims milk and dairy products are entering Spain from these countries at below production costs.

In a statement, the association said up to “30 tanker lorries per day, or around one million litres” is being brought into Spain, at a time when Spanish producers are being restricted in terms of production.

AUPA claims this imported milk “would be being used to supply increased demand in commercial outlets, due to changes in consumers’ purchasing habits with the crisis created by the covid-19 pandemic”.

This situation is considered ‘inexplicable’ by AUPA, at a time when other farmers in Spain are being informed that “their industries are restricting their production”.

The association also fails to understand the ‘very important’ import of cheese from the Netherlands and Germany, while sales of Spanish cheese, in particular sheep and goat cheese, are falling.

The UPA has asked the Ministries of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs and the Autonomous Communities, to be “vigilant” about this situation and has asked for information on the entry of milk into Spain to be made public.