Dairy farmers encouraged at MPO Free State congress

Dr Chris van Dijk, chief executive of the MPO, encouraged milk producers attending the MPO Free State Congress held at Leopards and Lace, Bloemfontein, on 18 August 2016. He believed that considering the international milk price, better times were on their way. Dr van Dijk added:  “The international milk price is going up, and is a good indicator of where our local milk price is going. The people who determine the milk price, the processors and the people from whom they buy milk, know what is happening internationally.  In the end, this can affect you, the milk producer.” Since 2015 sharp decreases in the milk prices producers received and higher feed prices, coupled with the worst drought in 30 years, have contributed to the industry experiencing “a perfect storm”. This badly affected farmers with full feed systems in particular.

Our milk producers do business in a free market, without price fixing, and are therefore at the mercy of market forces that we do not control. Dr van Dijk left milk producers with the following message: “Guard against an environment of negativity and despondency about everything you do not control. Put most of your energy, time and input on the parts of your enterprise that you can, in fact, control.” Netwerk 24. Click HERE to read more.