The low purchase price of sheep's milk is forcing a farmer near Blagoevgrad to look for another way to sell his production. Nikolay Dimitrov, who raises 240 sheep, gives his milk to a dairy for processing to a dairy, after which he receives cheese and sells it himself.
Currently, the purchase price of sheep's milk is about one euro per liter. According to Dimitrov's calculations, it should reach at least 1.80 euros so that his farm does not operate at a loss. Among the main costs are animal feed, electricity and labor.
Cheese is sold at 10 euros per kilogram
When processing cheese, the farmer provides the raw material to the dairy, and then receives a finished product. Nikolay Dimitrov sells the resulting sheep cheese for 10 euros per kilogram.
In large retail chains, a package of 800 grams of sheep cheese is offered for 10-11 euros. Thus, the price per kilogram reaches between 12.50 and 13.75 euros. The difference between the amount that the farmer receives for the milk and the price of the finished product remains among the main reasons for dissatisfaction in the sector.
Farmers insist on a higher purchase price
For cow's milk, dairies buy a liter for between 46 and 56 euro cents. According to the farmers, this price does not cover the costs of feed, veterinary care, electricity and labor, and the necessary increase is at least double.
“At least one euro should be specifically for cow's milk“, Borislav Vakanin told BNT.According to him, a cow must be well fed and cared for, and this requires quality feed, suitable animals and constant work. The mayor of the village of Krupnik, Alexander Ravnachki, also insists on more serious state support. According to him, the financial difficulties call into question the continuation of the activities of real livestock breeders.
Data presented by the Consumer Protection Commission show that for some dairy products, markups in retail chains exceed 140 percent. Against this background, some farmers in the Blagoevgrad region are turning to beef cattle breeding instead of producing milk.
Consumers also take into account the difference in prices. Some of them buy directly from small farmers, even though the produce is more expensive, because they prefer the taste and local origin.
Sources: plovdiv24.bg, bntnews.bg