HC Deb 20 May 1982 vol 24 cc175-6W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1952, 1959, and each of the years 1965–81 the approved or maximum price for liquid milk, the approved or actual price of milk sold for manufacture, together with the return to the farmers in each case before pooling or other method of distribution.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

Information is not available in the precise form requested, but the following table shows, for England and Wales, average maximum retail prices and returns to the Milk Marketing Board from both the liquid and manufacturing milk markets. Since all producers are paid the same basic price, irrespective of the end use to which their milk is put, the final column of the table shows the average price paid to producers for all milk. Returns to farmers from each market are not available.

England and Wales
(Pence per Litre)
Year (April/March) Average maximum retail price Net return to Board from liquid milk Net return to Board from manufacturing milk *Average price paid to producers
1952–53 4.582 N/A N/A N/A
1959–60 5.717 3.814 1.949 3.234
1965–66 6.844 4.338 2.039 3.442
1966–67 6.966 4.359 2.076 3.533
1967–68 7.332 4.613 2.033 3.577
1968–69 7.609 4.798 1.914 3.595
1969–70 7.879 4.844 1.992 3.568
1970–71 8.498 5.213 2.054 3.354
1971–72 9.450 5.882 3.021 4.245
1972–73 9.395 5.400 3.308 4.391
1973–74 9.679 5.370 3.643 5.088
1974–75 †8.521 3.097 5.017 6.266
1975–76 †12.800 5.938 6.612 7.835
1976–77 †16.382 8.367 7.413 ‡9.292
1977–78 20.416 11.283 8.182 ‡9.858
1978–79 22.707 12.396 9.648 ‡10.458
1979–80 26.257 13.508 11.010 ‡11.431
1980–81 30.229 15.247 12.155 ‡12.606
║1981–82 33.140 16.640 13.370 ‡13.550

Source: MMB Dairy Facts and Figures.

Notes:

* After deduction of cost of ex-farm transport, administration etc. and from 1977–78 Co-responsibility Levy.

† Includes Government Subsidy.

‡ Before payment of farm tank premium.

║ MAFF estimates.