Blockaded dairy firm vows to pay extra to British farmers for milk

One of the dairy firms targeted by British farmers in blockades this summer is to increase the amount it pays for milk.

Dairy Crest, which is supplied by about 1,000 dairy farmers, will pay 29p (about 36c) a litre on contracts for liquid milk and Davidstow cheese from Nov 1.

The increase of about 3p a litre is on top of Dairy Crest’s decision to reverse a planned price cut in August and means that its prices are now higher than they were before prices started to come down from May.

The company’s plants in Derbyshire and Gloucestershire were the subject of blockades in July as farmers across the UK protested over the declining amount of money being paid for their milk.

Dairy Crest, which supplies about 15% of British milk production, said higher selling prices from its customers and expectations of improving returns from commodity markets had enabled it to raise supplier prices.

The maker of Cathedral City cheese and Country Life butter said: “They are much needed to reflect the higher on-farm costs that all dairy farmers are currently experiencing following the difficult weather conditions this summer.”

On Friday, supermarket giant Tesco said the 700 dairy farmers who supplied the chain’s own-label non-organic milk will be paid up to 31.58p per litre from Oct 1 — a rise of just over 2p.

Dairy Crest said its own price was competitive as it did not expect its farmers to pay for investment in its dairies or face other charges.

Milk buying director Mike Sheldon said: “As the only major processor in British ownership, Dairy Crest’s future is strongly linked to that of our farmers. We want and need our farmers to be successful.”