The new NFU dairy board chairman remains hopeful that milk prices across England and Wales will continue to increase.
After calling for these long overdue price increases at NFU Council in mid-April, Mansel Raymond is determined that the trend continues.
He said: “At last, it seems that milk processors have listened to farmers and acted on market signals, firstly Wyke Farms announcing a 0.75ppl increase acknowledging that dairy commodity prices are accelerating rapidly.
“This is a welcome improvement, and many other processors have followed this lead – Milk Link and Glanbia both announcing a 0.5ppl increase from May 1.”
Raymond will continue to fight for dairy farmers who have not yet seen an increase in the price they are receiving for their milk.
“With market conditions providing strong grounds for a sizeable increase, there are still a number of questions that need to be asked to those processors that have as yet not moved, or not moved by enough,” he adds. “I will make it my task to ask these questions.
“Most UK commodity prices increased again in April, the price of mild cheddar increased for the first time since November 2009, milk production in the Southern Hemisphere is forecast to be lower than 2009 – all suggesting that milk prices should go even higher in liquid and cheese.
“While the May milk price increases are a step in the right direction, this momentum needs to be continued and sustained by all milk processors. These are long overdue movements, and farmers should rightly be asking for much more of the same in coming months.”