FUW in call for a rise in farmgate milk prices

THE Farmers’ Union of Wales’ milk and dairy produce committee has agreed unanimously that farmgate milk prices need to rise significantly in order to make up for massive increases in input costs.

Producers have seen price increases in feed, fuel, fertiliser and energy costs – many of which are linked to the war in Ukraine.

FUW milk and dairy produce committee chairman, Dei Davies said: “The union recently wrote to the major retailers urging them to ensure that rising input costs do not threaten the long term viability of food producers in Wales and the UK, and that farmers are paid a fair price for their produce in light of developing circumstances.”

“Increases in UK food prices are inevitable, and while retailers do have a part to play, we must ensure that this is reflected throughout the supply chain and reaches the farmgate.”

The committee noted a recent Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board forecast that the total milk produced across Great Britain could be down by as much as 649 million litres as a result of the pressures on the industry, and that despite average UK farmgate prices trending at around 20% higher than last year. Kite Consultancy has predicted that milk processors will need to pay upwards of 50p per litre if they wish to reverse the decline in milk production.

Mr Davies said: “It was clear during the discussion that these predictions are in fact already becoming a reality for many of our dairy farmers.”

While some producers are now receiving upwards of 40p per litre for their milk, one committee delegate had calculated that the cost of feed concentrates alone had doubled to the equivalent of 8p per litre, with others reporting similar figures.

Mr Davies said:“This is without taking into account many-fold increases in fertiliser, fuel and labour costs that will increasingly have an impact on production as the year progresses.”

Mr Davies added: “We are therefore urging milk processors, supermarkets and all others involved in the supply chain to recognise the extent to which input costs have increased over such a short period of time, and how these are impacting on farm costs and will impact on milk production later in the year, and to take action to ensure that the price paid for milk at the farmgate fully reflects this before businesses become even more adversely impacted.”