Export drive urged for British cheese

Ahead of World Milk Day tomorrow, Agriculture and Food Minister Jim Paice said the industry needed to be helped to invest in processing milk so the UK could become a net exporter of all dairy products.

The UK now imports around 2.3bn-worth of dairy products and only exports ones worth 900m.

But with more than 700 distinct British cheeses and with 15 dairy products made in particular areas using a traditional method protected from imitations under the European Union Protected Food Names status, Ministers are keen to boost the export of UK produce.

Mr Paice said: "We produce milk at highly-competitive prices, but the gap between liquid milk and milk for processing is too wide."

He said the the dairy industry needed help to invest in processing, so it could become a net exporter of all dairy products "and send Britain's iconic cheeses and other dairy products to the world."