No More Excuses, Raymond Tells Council
UK - National Farmers' Union (NFU) dairy board chairman Mansel Raymond has issued a damming report on the current state of affairs in dairy industry, saying that farm gate prices for milk are ‘a scandal’, particularly in the manufacturing sector.
15 October 2010
1 minute read
Speaking at NFU Council this week, Mr Raymond said that at a time when European milk prices were rising, dairy farmers in this country were again lagging behind their European counterparts, with average milk prices currently around 5ppl below market indicators such as DairyCo’s AMPE.
In a follow-up to its Great Milk Robbery Report, Mr Raymond reported that the NFU has now laid down the gauntlet to milk processors and retailers to stop finding excuses and to explain why farmers are yet to see their fair share of increased profits. He told Council that the NFU President. Peter Kendall. had called the response to our report from retailers asnd processors 'unsatisfactory' and said the situation warranted further investigation.
Despite his frustration over dairy prices, Mr Raymond also reported that milk production had increased by seven per cent this year, which, if sustained, will be the first year in almost a decade to see UK production increase. He said that this was probably due to weather conditions and an expansion in production amongst farmers working within a dedicated supply chain.
However, the extra cost of production as a result of the rise in feed and bedding costs could lead to farmers reassessing their future plans, particularly if the milk price does not improve.
TheCattleSite News Desk
