First Milk, one of the major players in the Cumbrian dairy industry, has announced that its July farmgate milk price will be unchanged.

The owners of the Lake District Creamery at Aspatria say it is difficult to predict the fallout from the coronavirus crisis on future milk prices.

Despite this the farmers co-operative, which has more than 200 members in Cumbria, says the milk price for July will remain at the current level.This means its liquid standard litre will remain at 26.75ppl, whilst its manufacturing standard litre will remain at 27.63ppl, both including its member premium.

Jim Baird, vice chairman and farmer director, said: “The backdrop of uncertainty resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic means that it remains hard to predict the likely impact on milk prices going forward.

"Despite this, we will continue to do all we can to provide as much stability as possible for our members, whilst working to maximise returns.”

Meanwhile, Arla producers in Cumbria have been told that the prices for conventional and organic milk will remain unchanged for June. This means that the UK manufacturing price for conventional milk remains unchanged at 29.89 and organic milk at 38.93 pence per litre, from last Monday, for those members who have submitted their climate check and Arlagården plus data. As previously announced, the introduction of the one eurocent climate check incentive has been funded by a one eurocent reduction in the raw milk value.

Arla Foods amba board director and farmer owner Arthur Fearnall said: “As we enter June, some level of stability appears to have returned to global commodity markets, for the moment at least."