How British milk is disappearing – the numbers

The numbers are startling:

• The number of UK dairy farms has fallen 46 per cent since June 1997, with an average of 26 farmers a week leaving the industry.
• 14 per cent of dairy farmers say they will leave the industry within two years.
• Only 18 per cent of farmers have the confidence to expand.
• Milk production has fallen almost 9 per cent (1.26bn litres) to 12.8bn litres since June 1997.
• Extrapolated to 2030, UK production could be just 7.5 billion litres, meaning 53 per cent of UK dairy products will be imported.
• The retailers’ share of milk price has increased from 6ppl to 16.5ppl in 10 years.
• The UK has seen a 1.5bn-litre swing from being a net exporter of milk to a major net importer.
• Imports of milk rose from £1.53bn in 2005 to £1.99bn last year, while exports grew by just £42m.
• Last year, the UK imported 1.1m tonnes of value added dairy products, worth an average £1,818 per tonne. Exports totalled 865,000/t, worth just £918/t.
• UK dairy production is declining at a rate of 2.5 per cent per year, while domestic consumption increases 0.5 per cent per year.
• 16,192 dairy cattle were slaughtered in the 2007/8 milk year as a result of TB testing - equivalent to 114 million litres of lost milk supply.

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