Unrest amongst Swiss dairy farmers ipeaked in Geneva mid-April with a demonstration outside a supermarket owned by Coop, the second-largest chain in the country. The reason was the “fair milk” programme, launched by farmers in the region with the support of the processor Laiteries Reunies , being completely ignored by Coop and the other leading Swiss retailer chain Migros. Farmers supplying the regional milk, sold under the Gen&egrave,ve Region Terre Avenir label, are guaranteed one franc per litre which is about 40% more than they are receiving for milk on the conventional market at this time.
Without the help of the big two, Laiteries Reunies and the farmers’ organisation Uniterre have managed to secure listing for GRTA drinking milk with 35 smaller outlets in the Geneva region. Consumers have backed the idea since its inception about one year ago. In the first month only around 2000 litres of the “fair price” milk were sold. Now the monthly total is around 55,000 litres.
The milk producers say the scheme would be even more successful if Migros and Coop joined-in and gave their customers the opportunity of supporting local production.