The National Farmers Union (NFU) has blasted UK milk supplier Robert Wiseman Dairies for hitting farmers with a "catastrophic" cut in milk prices.
Muller Group-owned Wiseman last week announced a 1.7ppl reduction to the price it pays its farmers for their milk, to take effect from 1 August. The decision, Wiseman said, follows a collapse in the value of the cream in each litre of farm-gate milk over the last 12 months.
The NFU, however, has slammed the decision as a "catastrophic example of hypocrisy and unfairness", with chairman Mansel Raymond claiming the cut is "a hospital pass by Wiseman to their already beleaguered farmer suppliers".
The news may come as little to surprise to many in the industry given the UK liquid milk sector is experiencing an ongoing decline in value sales. Despite gradually increasing volumes, the price being paid for milk has been dropping. As a consequence, milk producers are struggling to turn a profit in the category.
