Estimates of EU milk prices, gross margin (in green) and operating cost per tonne

In terms of profitability, at the beginning of 2015 there was a drop in gross margin per tonne, as illustrated in Figure 6. As a consequence, the situation deserves the utmost vigilance, especially in light of the fact that some farmers could be further penalised in facing payments of ‘superlevies’ due in the final year of quotas. This could create, in
some rural areas and Member States, a sensitive social situation.