Allister comments on Tesco milk deal
05 April 2007
Jim Allister believes that Tesco could do more to help Northern Ireland dairy farmers. Commenting on the latest announcement from the retailer, the Euro MP believes that it will have a modest impact on Northern Ireland farmers. Jim Allister has however called for Tesco to extend the offer to all dairy products and for all other major retailers to follow the lead taken by Tesco.
Jim Allister commented, “I welcome the announcement made today that Tesco will pay 22ppl for milk. Although it is not practical for Tesco to translate this through to individual farmers in Northern Ireland, as a direct result of the successful auction system operated by United Dairy Farmers’, it should help improve the returns paid for milk by the retailer. I believe that Tesco should extend this offer to all dairy products produced in Northern Ireland in order to prove that this is not merely a marketing gimmick."
Jim Allister has called on other retailers to follow the lead of Tesco. “I believe that other retailers need to follow this trend that has been started by Tesco. With higher feed and fuel costs, hundreds of dairy farmers are leaving the industry throughout the UK. Thankfully the global markets for diary products are continuing to rise and this should lift the price paid to farmers for milk over the coming months."
