“It happens at the worst time,” laments the National Federation of the Dairy Industry

These new Chinese taxes, for the moment provisional, increase from 21.9% to 42.7% on many dairy products in a tense agricultural context in France between the government and breeders, after numerous mobilizations by the latter.

Temporary customs duties imposed Monday, December 22 by Beijing on European dairy products “arrive at the worst of times”deplores François-Xavier Huard, CEO of the National Federation of the Dairy Industry (FNIL), on franceinfo on Monday. From Tuesday, these new Chinese surcharges, for the moment provisional, will range from 21.9% to more than 42.7% on certain European dairy products.

They concern a whole series of products, in particular fresh and processed cheeses, blue cheeses as well as certain milks and creams, which according to Beijing would benefit from subsidies subjecting them to a “substantial harm” to Chinese competitors.

“This level is an almost confiscatory level in terms of customs duties”comments François-Xavier Huard. “If these customs duties prove definitive, part of the French export market to China will completely close”he says.

France “is the second supplier” cream for China, “50,000 tons”according to the National Dairy Federation. For the cheese that remains one “important outlet”It is “8% to 10% of French exports” who goes to China, either “nearly 6,000 tonnes” of French products which are “directly targeted” by these customs surcharges, believes François-Xavier Huard.

China will make its decision next February on whether to maintain or abandon these customs surcharges. “That means that we have millions of liters of milk behind us, which we collect and transform into dairy products from French producers who will no longer have any outlets in a very complicated and particularly flammable agricultural environment at the moment”with the contagious lumpy skin disease crisis, explains the CEO of the National Federation of the Dairy Industry, which represents around a hundred companies in the sector, including Lactalis, Danone and other dairies.

This measure is taken by Beijing following a “anti-subsidy investigation” launched in August 2024. China believes that European products, aided by subsidies, are detrimental to the national dairy industry.