Milk price cut blow for Shropshire farmers

Dairy farmers in Shropshire have been dealt a "catastrophic" blow after Robert Wiseman Dairies announced a cut in the price it will pay suppliers for milk.

The National Farmers Union is to hold urgent talks with its members after the dairy announced a 1.7p per litre reduction to take effect from August 1. Bosses have blamed a collapse in the value of cream over the past 12 months.

An emergency meeting will be held next week between regional director for the NFU John Mercer and suppliers from Shropshire. The company has 1,050 suppliers across Britain and was bought out by Market Drayton-based Muller Dairy UK in a £280 million deal in January.

The standard price from August will be 24.73p per litre.

Mansel Raymond, NFU national dairy board chairman, said the cost of producing a litre of milk was 'well over' 30p and the latest cuts were unfair.

He said: "This cut is a catastrophic example of the hypocrisy and unfairness that prevails in certain parts of the British dairy industry. This is a hospital pass by Wiseman to beleaguered farmer suppliers."

Pete Nicholson, milk procurement director at Robert Wiseman Dairies said: "We know this news will be a major disappointment to Wiseman Milk Group members.

"We have done everything to minimise the reduction in our farm gate milk price but we must reflect the substantially lower returns from the markets which we serve."

Roddy Catto, acting chairman of the Wiseman Milk Partnership, said: "Many WMG members will be devastated.

"We certainly do not give this move our approval."

By Danielle Wozencroft