Liquid assets milked from farm profits
The retail price of milk in the major supermarkets has increased by 2.2 pence per litre, increasing the price of a four pint polybottle to £1.16 in the majority of stores.
This increase has been brought about by the hike in oil prices, putting up the cost of energy, and in particular plastic. The processors for once did manage to push their incteased costs up in the chain, and have received around 1.6ppl of the increase. Dairy farmers? Don't be silly, farmers can absorb some more costs and if they don't like it they can get out.
However a cut of 3ppl last week, backdated to the first of October by Arla Foods shook the industry once more. Twice I had to recharge my mobile phoe in one day, such was the activity. Farmers were enraged and rightly so.
For full feature see Farm Diary by Gwyn Jones in the West Sussex Gazette, February 9.