Milk price rap for the supermarkets

BRITAIN'S supermarkets have been told to stop finding excuses after it was revealed that the UK is lagging behind most of Europe when it comes to returns for farmers.

Figures this week from The Dairy Group showed the UK to be at the foot of the milk price league in 17th place, something its director Nick Holt-Martyn said was "far too high for a sustainable industry".

The gap between market returns and the farm gate price has increased now to three pence per litre.

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Mr Holt-Martyn said: "Despite the stability of returns the rises over the last year have not been translated into a comparable price increase for the dairy farmer and this market detachment is costing farmers a great deal of money."

This week Peter Kendall, the National Farmers' Union president, laid down the gauntlet to milk processors and retailers to stop finding excuses and work with dairy farmers to explain why they are yet to see their fair share of better market returns.

Mr Kendall said he would be writing to all major retailers on the issue and threatened to expose those who failed to respond.

Talking after his address to members at this year's Dairy and Livestock show, being held at the NEC, Mr Kendall told farmers: "Let me summarise what we've been told; some milk buyers are blaming other milk buyers for holding the market down, some are blaming the retailers for driving hard bargains and some buyers are accusing others of being weak sellers.

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"The only consistent message coming from milk buyers is that everybody else is to blame. Our members deserve a better explanation.

"Dairy farmers across the country have applauded the work we did on exposing the great milk robbery with many feeling it was a timely, hard hitting and much-needed piece of work.

"However, they rightly want to know what happens next?

"The conflicting nature of the responses we've had back tells me that there's much more that needs investigating and today I'm asking milk buyers and retailers to answer some simple questions."

Mr Kendall added: "I'll be writing to milk buyers and retailers this week to pose questions, to express my ongoing concerns and I will be publishing the conclusions in due course to highlight the processors and retailers who do not engage in this urgent debate."

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There was some good news for dairy farmers at this year's Dairy and Livestock show with farming minister Jim Paice reaffirming his commitment to culling badgers in England.

The Yorkshire Post understands that a consultation on his plans for a cull are due in the next couple of weeks.

CW 11/9/10

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