FDBusiness.com

Robert Wiseman Dairies and Muller Dairy are to substantially increase the milk price they pay to UK dairy farmers. Muller/Wiseman Group has also reaffirmed plans through its Wisemilk Initiative, to consider new ways of valuing farm-gate milk in future using the proposed Voluntary Code of Practice as a framework.

The move from 15th October lifts the farm-gate milk price to 29 pence per litre. The increase will be offered to all dairy farmers who supply the company with the exception of those who are aligned with major customers like Tesco, Sainsbury and the Co-operative Group, which have their own milk pricing arrangements.

The company has also outlined its desire to substantially increase the number of dairy farmers who supply it directly, in line with its own growth aspirations in the UK.

Pete Nicholson, Wiseman’s milk procurement director, says: “This increase is only possible with the timely support of our customers and we are working to this end and confident that this will be secured. Muller is ambitious to grow and to play a major role in UK dairy. This presents real opportunities for dairy farmers who currently supply the group, and those who don’t but may be considering whether their current buyer is right for them in the long term.”