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Farming ministers gather for second milk crisis meeting

Protests over the price for milk have been held across the north, including this one in Coleraine
Protests over the price for milk have been held across the north, including this one in Coleraine Protests over the price for milk have been held across the north, including this one in Coleraine

AGRICULTURE ministers and farming unions from across Northern Ireland and Britain will attend a second crisis meeting with the UK's farming minister over milk prices.

Liz Truss will be pressed by ministers from the devolved administrations as farmers claim they face going out of business as the cost of producing milk outweighs gate prices.

Stormont farming minister Michelle O'Neill said she would urge Ms Truss to pursue greater intervention from the EU on milk prices.

Ms O'Neill, who met Ms Truss at a first crisis summit last week, said: "We depend on exports and these have been impacted severely by collapsing international markets and the strength of sterling. We also discussed the impact of market volatility on all sectors of the farming industry.

"I was encouraged by her understanding of our extreme set of circumstances and by her willingness to take action. However, I am determined to maintain momentum and that is why I will use this next meeting to press her on that action and for help in persuading the EU to increase the intervention threshold price."

Representatives from farmers' bodies across the UK including the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) will also attend the conference.

Meanwhile, from today, dairy farmers will receive 28p per litre for their milk from Asda in a deal with processor Dale Farm.

Asda pledged to increase the price it pays its milk suppliers – without passing on the increase to customers.

It represents an increase of between 5p and 10p on what many farmers receive from supermarkets.

Retailers have blamed global economic trends for the price slump affecting farmers.

Protest group Farmers for Action has said it plans to hold a demonstration outside the offices of the European Commission in Belfast next Monday.