Deputy backs dairy plan

The Jersey Milk Company reported a loss of almost £1.5m

The politician in charge of reviving the fortunes of Jersey's dairy industry says radical measures are needed.

Deputy Mike Taylor has supported a new plan by the company Jersey Milk, which includes shedding 20 dairy staff and paying farmers more.

Job losses at the Five Oaks dairy were announced at the weekend.

Jersey Milk said it would help staff find other jobs but the redundancies were a necessary cost-cutting measure.

Bold plan

The dairy said it hoped to be able to pay producers 32.5 pence per litre once it had made savings.

In March, the company reported a loss of almost £1.5m after seeing a massive drop in sales.

Agriculture and Fisheries Advisory Board chairman, Deputy Taylor, said it was a bold plan, but the dairy industry was in a bad state and it was fighting for survival.

He added the current price per litre paid to farmers of 28.5 pence was not enough, but the target of 32.5 pence had to be reached soon.