In the last few days, Robert Wiseman Dairies, Arlaand Dairy Crest announced price cuts of 1.7ppl, 2ppland 1.65ppl respectively, in the price of milk, bought from farmers, for 1st August. These cuts bring typical milk prices down to the 24-24.5ppl region, for many liquid suppliers, at a time when costs of production exceed 30ppl.
The National Farmers Union, has taken this matter extremely seriously, and said,
‘We will be doing everything in our power to resolve this issue. Dairy farmers around the country are understandably upset, angry and dismayed at the latest round of price cuts, and the need for action is greater than ever. Nationally the situation is being tackled head on by all of the NFU office holders, as well as the national Dairy Board chairman, and national dairy team at headquarters. We are currently arranging a Dairy Summit in Westminster for government ministers and producers next week. Urgent high level meetings with ASDA, Morrison’s and the CO-OP are being arranged because they have policies which claim to support British dairy farmers, yet they are paying less than the cost of production’.
The other big supermarkets would tend to be paying in the region of 30 pence/ltr.
We will need to make more cheese!!
Not much movement yet. The ASDA boss was summoned to the
House of Commons, 17th July, and failed to explain why milk had to be so cheap, cheaper than Coke or water! None of these companies are prepared to pay what it cost to produce a litre of milk.
