Farmers will bear the brunt of any loss of confidence from customers over Fonterra’s botulism scare, says Manawatu-Rangitikei Federated Farmers dairy chairman James Stewart.
But he said the recent global dairy auction of Fonterra milk powder showed there was still confidence in the product.
Milk powder prices fell 2.5 per cent, which was seen as a market fluctuation rather than a food safety issue.
Stewart said the first thing he did was look at the auction before he went out on his Hiwinui dairy farm.
«If it is higher, it gives a spring in your step when you go out on the dairy farm. It is busy right now, as cows are calving. So I am pleased that the auction went well.»
He said customers saw the difference between the whey protein that had the clostridium botulinum, possible botulism, and the whole and skim milk powders, which did not.
While dairy farmers were disappointed about the food concerns, food recalls were not uncommon.
Stewart said it was not like the melamine scandal in China in 2008 where six babies died.
«But we are renowned for our food quality and that’s Fonterra’s competitive advantage. We have recalled the whey powder. No-one is sick, but better to be safe than sorry,» he said.
«We’ve done the right thing. When this all blows over, customers will respect that concern over whey powder meant it was recalled. So they can believe in our quality control.»
He said the media often portrayed Fonterra as a big, faceless company, but said it was owned by 10,500 New Zealand farmers.
«Some economists have said that having a big dairy income is putting too many eggs in one basket for New Zealand. Well I’d be happy if there were some other earning baskets. But we’re better to have one basket than none.»
Source: Stuff
