(ANSA) - Oristano, February 11 - One of Sardinia's biggest
cheese factories on Monday halted production in solidarity with
dairy farmers protesting at falling milk prices.
The CAO Formaggi factory in Oristano suspended all activities
or production and distribution.
It is the first cheese factory to make such a move.
Sardinian dairy farmers presented an ultimatum on Monday that
if no solution is found to the crisis of falling prices for
milk, the farmers will block polling stations across the island
for the upcoming regional elections on February 24.
Meanwhile, consumer group Codacons said it would file a
complaint calling for a probe into whether there is reason to
believe market rigging is taking place in the the milk industry.
Sardinian dairy farmers have been staging protests, which
have included road blocks and the deliberate dumping of milk,
against the fact that they are paid about 60 cents per litre of
milk and they are demanding 70 cents net, as well as better
protection for the DOP protected denomination of origin on milk
and better control over imports.
Agriculture Minister Gian Marco Centinaio said he would be in
Sardinia on Monday with Premier Giuseppe Conte to "reason
together with the Sardinian farmers".
"I am in complete agreement with them," Centinaio said.
"The consortium isn't doing its job to protect Sardinian
farmers," he said.
Cheese factory halts production
In solidarity with protesting farmers