The main topic widely discussed recently was the ban on the use of the second-grade milk for dairy processing. – INFAGRO

This week dairy market operators are expecting the promised publication of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy’s Regulation Order devoted to procedures related to raw milk quality and setting the transitional period aimed at achieving the European quality milk level by 2022.

According to preliminary data, the document has some features  of a document on technical regulation comprising hygienic requirements throughout the chain (production-delivery-transportation-acceptance-processing of milk and dairy products) and provides for the following periods of transition:

• since 1/06/18 – ban of the 2nd grade milk (bacterial contamination 500 thousand CFU, somatiс cell count 500 thousand SCC);
• since 1/01/20 – ban of the 1st grade (bacterial contamination 300 thousand CFU, somatic cell count 400 thousand SCC);
• since 1/01/22 – ban of the highest grade (bacterial contamination 100 thousand CFU, somatic cell count 400 thousand SCC).

The Ministry also promises to allocate about 1 billion hryvnia to provide rural households engaged in agricultural production with finance for the mass launch of the cooperative movement in the villages and support them with consulting services. But the mechanism of the subsidizing is still unclear. It is also expected to be published only this week.

Despite a good plan and the right sequence of actions, the time frame for the reform – mid-summer – at the moment looks completely unrealistic and the mechanisms of its implementation has not been approved yet.

Business will have only 30 days after signing the preliminary version of the Order for the revision and comments (also, hopefully, the information on the finance distribution will be settled and published). So, dairy processors first have to initiate the defer of the document’s entry into power at least till 1 Jan, 2019 to secure enough time to make households get acquaintant with the Order and purchase of the necessary equipment.

Since mid January milk purchase prices has been falling, and at the end of the month the milk from dairy farms (agricultural producers) was worth 9.00-9.80 UAH/kg, milk from rural households 5-6.00 UAH/kg.

INFAGRO