Raymond 'had difficult meetings' with retailers in dairy market turmoil

Meurig Raymond with Rhys Jones
Meurig Raymond with Rhys Jones

Assurances were given to local dairy farmers by Meurig Raymond, NFU President, that the Union is doing 'everything it can' to help its milk producing members get through the current price volatility when he spoke at the recent Carmarthenshire NFU Cymru conference.

Mr Raymond explained helping farmers within the milk industry was the Union’s top priority at present. He said he has met with the leading banks to ask them to help farmers at this difficult time. He has met with Government to discuss tax concessions. They’ve given evidence to the Efra Committee asking for more powers to the Groceries Code Adjudicator. The NFU has spoken to milk buyers, particularly First Milk. Mr Raymond also told those present how he has personally had some very difficult meetings with the major retailers and has had some assurances that they will stock more British dairy products in the future.

Mr Raymond said, “We are grateful to shoppers for the positive messages we’ve received as dairy producers and pleased that so many consumers have come out and backed British dairy farmers at this time. We’ve been inundated on social media in particular by shoppers wanting to know where they should buy their dairy products to help us most. In response we have said that shoppers have to check the labels to make sure they are definitely buying British produce – not something that looks British. The Red Tractor mark is a good quick indicator. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the British public for all their support at this time.”

Euryn Jones, HSBC Bank’s Agricultural Director, and event sponsor, told local dairy farmers that HSBC was one of those banks that is pro-actively contacting its dairy customers to see if they could do anything to help at this difficult time.

Rhys Jones, NFU Cymru Carmarthenshire Chairman, and a milk producer himself, thanked Mr Raymond both for his presentation and for all the hard work he and the NFU are doing on behalf of its dairy members at this difficult time. Rhys said, “It’s a very sobering time at the moment for Welsh dairy producers. As dairy farmers we don’t have a great deal of leverage when it comes to negotiating prices but as Meurig did say, our greatest lever is consumer support for the products we supply and their enthusiasm to buy British.”