French Bakery Association Warns: Butter Price Is on Alarming Rise
La Fédération des Entreprises de Boulangerie (the Federation of Bakery Companies in France – FEB) took position on the “alarming rise” of the butter price, mentioning a growth in price with more than 100% over the past year.
Butter has reached a price of EUR5.37 per kilo at present, while less than a year ago it costed EUR3 per kilo.
“These price levels are completely new. The price of the volatile butter had never reached such vertices. The shortage of butter appears as a real threat for the end of the year and causes a panic in the markets,” according to the FED.
Pastry products with high butter content are especially affected by this, with manufacturers aim to avoid the collapse of the product margins and ensure their supply of raw materials in the short and medium term, to avoid the shutdown of production lines.
The FEB urges all actors in the sector to take action in this regard, in particular the players in retail and catering. The manufacturers mention that prices for the end products will have to increase significantly and quickly.
In order for the market to become more relaxed and prices to return to coherent levels, the dairy industry needs to put more butter into production: “This is not negotiation, but rather adaptation in times of crisis. It’s about survival of enterprises and employment in the sector,” FED adds.
The graphic shows the butter prices, during the past year, via globaldairytrade.info:
