Memorandum submitted by Messrs FW and
JM Hart (L5)
The price of milk on this holding from 1996
to present, for milk of above average butterfat:
| 1. | 1996
| —24.8 pence per litre |
| 2. | 2000-01 | —17 pence per litre
|
| 3. | 2001-02 | —19 pence per litre (rise due to publicity)
|
| 4. | 2002-03 | —17.05 pence per litre
|
| |
|
5. During this period, products were controlled by the
Milk Quotas, so there was no surplus to depress the farm-gate
price. In fact, in the last two years farm production has been
below the National Quota.
With lower producer prices, a constant increase in consumer
prices, over the same period, of almost 5 pence, the Trade supermarket
are increasing their margins using their strength to exploit the
weak, fragmented producers.
8 January 2004
|
