Dairy farmer and artisan cheesemaker has told GB News' Nigel Farage they were told to "reduce" milk production during Covid but now are being urged to "increase" yield as the cost of milk is set to rise by 50 percent.
Dairy prices are set to soar due to supply chain disruption and the cost of living crisis, pushing the cost of four pints of milk up from £1.15 to between £1.60 and £1.70
Dairy industry bosses also warn a 250g pack of butter could increase from £1.55 to more than £2.
Nigel Farage said he thought "supermarkets are squeezing dairy farmers" and asked if the claims by industry bosses were true.
Robin Betts spoke to Nigel Farage about rising dairy costs
GB News
"I'm afraid so Nigel. It's the perfect storm within the dairy industry," responded Robin Betts in Kent.
The price of milk is set to rise by 50 percent and butter by 30 percent, according to Kite Consulting.
The dairy farmer explained "During Covid we were encouraged to reduce milk because of the closure of coffee shops.
Now suddenly they want to turn the button back on again and for the dairy farmers to increase more milk."
"Fertiliser costs have gone threefold through the roof and so naturally farmers are going to reduce putting fertiliser on the ground and that's going to reduce the grass yields and consequently the milk yields will come down."
"With all the energy costs increasing, it's a perfect storm I'm afraid."
The artisan cheesemaker also explained the impact of milk going up in price on his wider trade.
Mr Betts emphasised this also will cause cheese prices to increase "straight away by certainly about a pound a kilo to cover the increase in milk costs. It's a big problem for all dairy farmers."
