Identification of the needs of primary milk producers in the new common agricultural policy 2021 – 2027

Although Slovakia belongs to the smallest milk producers in the EU, we have to bear in mind the importance of the milk industry for the economy of Slovakia. Current expectations in Slovakia are that primary milk producers are able to produce milk at the lowest possible price, with state support on the same level as in other EU states, processing companies have a good purchasing price for the raw materials, retailers are able to share margins and to increase the market share of Slovak dairy products and last but not least that consumers buy milk and dairy products produced in Slovakia. Milk production in primary production has a profound ecological and social benefit for our countryside but the most important is the contribution of milk and dairy products to human health. The Slovak dairy sector has experienced three dairy crises and one butter crisis in the last ten years, what caused that up to 37% of milk producers in Slovakia cease their production. Currently, there are 401 approved primary milk producers in Slovakia. This sector is in long-term condition weakened by market fluctuation and by previous crises. Slovakia has a large investment debt in this sector. That is why in order of food security and maintaining employment it should be in the interest of the new government to do everything possible to stabilize this sector. Therefore, the primary objective of this scientific paper is to identify the needs of primary milk producers in Slovakia in relation to the strategic objective – to increase the competitiveness of the milk producers. The research aims to transform the voice of primary milk producers into the new programming documents for the upcoming period of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the years 2021 – 2027.