The main milk buyer in the north and north-east has announced plans to increase its milk price on December 1.
Muller, which caused controversy earlier this year when it shut the only milk processing factory in the north-east, will increase its standard non-aligned price by 2p a litre.
The company said the price increase, which follows similar moves for October and November, coupled with retailer supplementary payments would bring the standard non-aligned price to 24.3p a litre in December.
The company will also increase its organic standard litre price by 1.5p a litre on December 1.
The dairy’s agriculture director, Lyndsay Chapman, said: “We continue to deliver a competitive milk price which is supported by the separate retailer supplement and backed by our contract terms, which have security and transparency at their core.
“There is now a real need to build confidence at farm level. We understand current expectation surrounding the timing for milk prices to respond to the current upturn in commodity markets. We are not as directly linked to these highly volatile markets as some of our ingredients competitors. As a consequence our milk price profile is more stable and sustainable throughout the market cycle.”
Aberdeenshire farmer Roddy Catto, who is chairman of Muller’s farmer board and NFU Scotland regional chairman for the north-east, said: “We have worked closely with the Muller team over the past month to deliver this further and much needed increase in milk price that will apply to all non-aligned farmers.”
Earlier this month both Arla and First Milk confirmed price increases for November 1.
European farmers’ co-operative Arla, which produces Lurpak, Anchor and Cravendale, will increase its standard litre price by 1.49p to 23.14p.
Glasgow-headquartered farmers’ co-operative First Milk will increase its B price by 5p to 25p a litre, while a minimum 1p a litre increase will be applied to the A price on all non-aligned pools.
