A question of goat’s milk

On his farm at La Bassa de l’Hostal, Jordi Herrero’s 500 goats produce about 200,000 litres of milk per year. The goat’s milk sector is small in Catalonia and for three decades this farmer from Maldà (Urgell) sold it to Pep Martí, a cheese-maker at Sant Gil d’Albió, in the nearby Conca de Barberà. Goats and sheep are the only livestock farms fully owned and managed by families, free of the links to the enormous agri-food industrial groups. “Goats are more delicate than cows and industrialisation does not adapt so well. For example, machine milking is more complex. You need to keep a closer eye on things.”

The relationship between the farmer and the craftsman is key. As evidenced in 2008, when international financial capital moved from real estate to agricultural production, leading to an increase of almost 70% in the price of cereal and feed. Farm costs rocketed and everyone was at risk.

The crisis led Catalan farmers to create their own label, La llet de Cabres Catalanes, aiming to lower costs, back investment and bring younger people back to the land. A crisis in the sector in Holland also created the opportunity for Catalan producers and cheese-makers to incorporate and adopt a seal of quality.

The venture is made up of 45 farmers, with about 10,000 head of livestock, and four cattle breeders. They group 65% of domestic goat’s milk production and produce about four million litres per year.

As a result, producers can sell the milk for 30% more than in Spain or France and farmers can invest. The next step is to extend sales’ points and look at other craft sectors, such as wines, to adopt marketing strategies.