Müller Milk & Ingredients has warned Scottish dairy farmers who supply the company that a 25% surge in farm milk production which is not supported by growth in demand for fresh milk products in Scotland, is not sustainable and has significant environmental consequences.
The leading fresh milk processor confirmed that a review with its 230 dairy farmer suppliers in Scotland to address the issue both short term and strategically was now underway.
Highlighting that the consumption of fresh milk is marginally down year-on-year, Rob Hutchison, Milk Supply and Operations Director at MMI said: “Production from Scottish farms who supply us however is up by 25% since 2014. As a result, Müller is transporting 180 million litres per annum – equivalent to 33 litres of additional milk for every person in Scotland – to our dairies in England, where we can find a market for it.
“The financial and environmental cost of moving this volume of milk is substantial and we must work urgently with farmers who supply us and other industry stakeholders to review a range of measures to address this increasingly unsustainable situation both in the short and longer term.”
The business stated that it will discuss the issue over the next month with the Müller Milk Group, the elected farmer board which represents dairy farmer suppliers to the company, and will also seek views from other industry stakeholders. Müller will then determine measures to be taken once the review period is complete.
