Italian producers find the going tough

摘要

Italian dairy farmers are under pressure, facing high input costs, low milk prices and competition for land from biofuel production. In the first of two reports. Italian dairy farmers are facing similar problems to those in the UK. Feed and fuel costsare rising, milk prices are a constant source of complaint, and the country faces the added burden of spiralling agricultural land prices which are quoted at figures of up to EUR 100,000 or E80,000/ha (E32,000/acre). Being close to the epicentre of theeuro crisis is knocking confidence further, new entrants to the industry are virtually nonexistent, and farmers running traditional, middle-sized holdings, which are commonly rented at around EUR 650/ha (E520/ha), are under particular threat.