Dairy figures strive to make Muller reconsider

NORTH EAST: Farmers bring some counter-proposals to the table

Desperate dairy farmers in Angus and Aberdeenshire are pulling out all the stops to find an urgent solution to the crisis caused by milk giant Muller’s decision to close their Aberdeen dairy.

A total of 43 dairy farmers who supply Muller in the north east were told last week they will have to pay 1.75p/litre to have their milk transported to Bellshill in future, if the Aberdeen plant closes after a 45-day consultation period.

Aberdeenshire farmer Roddy Catto said yesterday that local producers were meeting with Muller representatives and putting counter-proposals on the table for discussion.

“We’re exploring every avenue, focusing on the inefficiencies in the current transport system and looking at how costs could be pared back so that proposed charges could be reduced,” he said.

“Charging producers 1.75p/litre to transport milk from the north to Bellshill is a step too far and we think that calculation has been based on the inefficiencies of collecting milk.”

Mr Catto said a “huge amount” of work could be done on farms to reduce the costs of milk transport.

He added: “All farms need to make their premises suitable to take artics and there are savings to be made if the company used tankers that didn’t have pumping mechanisms on the back, because they can carry more milk. We need to take costs out of the system.”

No representations have so far been made to Muller by senior NFU Scotland (NFUS) office-bearers or staff and the union’s chief executive Scott Walker conceded it would be “very difficult” to persuade the firm to change its mind.

“Will we try and meet with Muller? Yes we will,” he said.

“But a company doesn’t make a decision like this lightly.

“I suspect it’s partly going through the motions, so will we change Muller’s mind around? It will be very difficult.

“What we need to do is look at what else could be done with those producers up there.

“Would there be any existing processor in Scotland who’d be willing to do something.”

Union president Allan Bowie said it was time to sit down with producers and “thrash out” some solutions.

“Within the consultation period let’s look at what we can do,” he said.

“We need ideas from producers and to hear more of Muller’s plans.”

In principle Mr Bowie was positive about the firm’s plans to invest £15 million in upgrading the Bellshill dairy.

He said: “If they go into yoghurts and soft cheeses and other products that add value that’s really positive for Scottish milk.

“You’ve got a very good company there that has shown what they can do elsewhere.

“I think the investment of £15m is a very small part of the longer term future and we need to be shouting out that we’ve got the milk, we’ve got the quality and we can deliver.

“And say to other players that Scotland’s open for business.”

Aberdeenshire farmer Roddy Catto said every avenue was being explored.