Robigus
Member
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/milk-shortage-will-push-up-cheese-prices-rbdhp2bgw
The price of British cheese is expected to rise early next year because of a milk shortage. Stores of cheddar are dwindling and production is dropping, the National Farmers’ Union has warned.
More than 550 dairy farms have closed since 2014 and production has fallen by 10 per cent. An oversupply of milk led processors to pay farmers low prices and many of them responded by culling their herds.
The wholesale price of milk has risen in recent months, but dairy farmers say that processors are continuing to pay them below the cost of production.
Sian Davies, the NFU’s dairy adviser, dismissed fears of a cream shortage at Christmas, but she said that there could be a cheese crisis in three to four months, the time it takes to mature.
She added that milk was being diverted from cheese production into cream and butter to cater for short-term demand from shops.
Michael Oakes, chairman of the NFU’s dairy board, said that the milk shortage would continue, because “you can’t just turn a cow on and off”.
Milk shortage ‘will push up cheese prices’
Ben Webster, Environment Editor
November 14 2016, 12:01am, The Times
More than 550 dairy farms have closed this year and production has fallen by 10 per cent
GIDEON MENDEL/GETTY IMAGES
Ben Webster, Environment Editor
November 14 2016, 12:01am, The Times
More than 550 dairy farms have closed this year and production has fallen by 10 per cent
GIDEON MENDEL/GETTY IMAGES
The price of British cheese is expected to rise early next year because of a milk shortage. Stores of cheddar are dwindling and production is dropping, the National Farmers’ Union has warned.
More than 550 dairy farms have closed since 2014 and production has fallen by 10 per cent. An oversupply of milk led processors to pay farmers low prices and many of them responded by culling their herds.
The wholesale price of milk has risen in recent months, but dairy farmers say that processors are continuing to pay them below the cost of production.
Sian Davies, the NFU’s dairy adviser, dismissed fears of a cream shortage at Christmas, but she said that there could be a cheese crisis in three to four months, the time it takes to mature.
She added that milk was being diverted from cheese production into cream and butter to cater for short-term demand from shops.
Michael Oakes, chairman of the NFU’s dairy board, said that the milk shortage would continue, because “you can’t just turn a cow on and off”.
