The main milk buyer in the north and north-east has announced plans to allow farmers to fix their milk price for 12 months ahead.
Muller, which caused controversy last year when it shut the only milk processing plant in the region, is introducing a new Muller direct Futures Contract option.
The option will allow farmers to agree a monthly pirce for up to 25% of their milk volume for 12 months ahead. It will be available to 700 of Muller’s 1,200 farmers who are not currently part of groups aligned to major supermarket customers.
The dairy giant has also announced plans to introduce a new service to dairy farmers – Muller Farm Insight – offering data, welfare and benchmarking tools.
Muller also confirmed plans to increase its standard litre milk price by 1.31p to 29p a litre on September 1.
The company’s agriculture director, Rob Hutchison, said: “There is a lot of uncertainty out there but we are optimistic. Britain remains one of the best places in the world to produce milk and Muller is investing heavily to ensure that consumers will be able to buy more and more dairy products made in Britain with milk from British farmers.
“We want to work with farmers to realise our shared ambitions as the basis of a progressive industry with the security and confidence to invest. The steps we are outlining today are early measures which signal our intent.”
Meanwhile, Glasgow-headquarterd farmers’ co-operative First Milk has increased its A price for its Scottish pool by 0.9p to 26.7p.