Farmers' warning as milk prices fall below cost
Summary
Dairy farmers in the UK are being paid less for milk than it costs them to produce it, causing concerns about the future of small family farms. While bigger farms produce more milk overall, many smaller farms are closing due to the low prices and rising costs.Key Facts
- Farmers receive about 32 to 35 pence per litre of milk.
- The cost to produce milk ranges from 42 to 49 pence per litre.
- Many small family farms are shutting down because they lose money on milk sales.
- The number of dairy farms in the UK fell from 8,310 in 2020 to 7,010 recently.
- Bigger farms produce slightly more milk, increasing total production by 4%.
- Milk prices have fluctuated due to global events like the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
- Prices peaked around 55 pence per litre in 2022 but dropped to about 32-35 pence in late 2025.
- Rising production costs make it hard for farmers to earn a living from milk.
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