Liconsa cuts Chihuahua milk purchases by 40%
Liconsa, operating through the Leche para el Bienestar scheme, informed dairy farmers in Chihuahua’s south-central basin that their authorised delivery quotas would be reduced by 40%. Producers in Meoqui, Delicias, Saucillo and Camargo said the measure was introduced without prior technical notice or consultation meetings with local associations. The programme’s guaranteed price is set at 11.50 pesos per litre.
The reduction has affected farms that use mechanised milking systems and refrigerated tanks. Family units with between ten and 50 producing cows generally have on-farm cold-storage capacity for 48 to 72 hours of continuous milking. With collection centres rejecting four out of every ten litres, producers said the tanks can reach capacity in less than two working days.
Daily milking cannot simply be suspended, because stopping extraction can cause acute mastitis and reduce output, according to the report. Farmers have therefore continued their morning and evening routines while facing the possibility of discarding fresh milk or allowing it to deteriorate in storage. The basin keeps milk chilled at about four degrees Celsius through rapid-cooling equipment.
Milk that is not taken through the government channel is being offered to small cheesemakers and local intermediaries. Producers quoted prices of between 7 and 8.50 pesos per litre in those transactions, below the guaranteed programme price. The report also said that private processors in the state had not absorbed the additional supply, leaving smaller farms dependent on informal buyers.
Farm finances have also been affected by drought and higher feed requirements. Feed accounts for between 65% and 72% of the cost of producing a litre in a confined dairy operation, while farmers have had to purchase alfalfa hay, maize silage and energy concentrates. Producers said the loss of 40% of their current revenue had exhausted working capital and disrupted credit arrangements with local feed distributors.
The report said that accumulated debts and payment delays of several weeks had added to the pressure. Farmers’ organisations are seeking the restoration of collection quotas and more timely electronic transfers from the state company. They have called for an urgent technical meeting with agriculture officials and programme administrators to review purchasing budgets and resume full reception from registered farms.
Sector representatives said that, if the reduction continued, they would consider extraordinary meetings and peaceful demonstrations outside collection facilities. The source of the report was Quadratín Chihuahua.
