Dairy Crest, the milk processor that led the last round of price cuts with a 2ppl reduction in May, was the first to announce further cuts yesterday.
The company, which operates south of the Border, announced it is to cut the price it pays for a standard litre by 1.65ppl from the beginning of August – taking producer returns down to 24.92ppl.
Arla, which operates an award-winning creamery near Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, followed suit, slashing the price paid to its non-aligned suppliers by an eye-watering 2ppl, down to 25ppl, also from August 1.
First Milk is expected to make an announcement on its prices for August within the next couple of days.
l Fertiliser manufacturer Yara is expected to announce one of its strongest ever financial quarter-year results on July 18, despite the challenges its European Union operations faced from high gas prices and a difficult European climate.
One of the main reasons put forward by the company for the strength of the second-quarter results is the high profits made from urea – 25% of Yara's urea capacity is in North America, with another 20% in Qatar.
It also anticipates strong profits from the ammonia market, with the company benefiting from increased ownership of the Pilbara plant in Australia.
Another reason cited is the demand for NPK fertiliser (nitrogen, phosphate, potassium) as a result of strong trading in Asia and Latin America, leaving the global market one million tonnes short.
LAWRIE & Symington sold 14 prime heifers in Lanark on Monday to a top of 236p per kg and an average of 219.5p (-1.5p on the week), while 14 prime beef-bred bullocks peaked at 233p and levelled at 201.3p (-2.5p).
Twelve prime B&W bullocks averaged 173.6p (+3.6p).
Over in the rough ring, 47 beef cows averaged 154p, while 25 dairy cows levelled at 117p. Thirteen OTM cattle averaged 146p, while two bulls levelled at 118p.
In the sheep ring, 746 prime lambs sold to £100 per head and 220.2p per kg to average 180.2p (-29.4p).
There were also 325 cast sheep forward with ewes selling to £147.50 for Texels and £67.50 for Blackfaces to average £77.58 overall (-£1.90).
At the firm's fortnightly sale of dairy cattle, the 15 forward were topped by a Holstein heifer at £2000 and averaged £1669 (+£34 on the previous sale).
Wallets Marts sold 897 prime lambs in Castle Douglas yesterday to a top of £84.50 and 201.3p to average 182.1p.
The 135 cast sheep forward included 26 hoggs that averaged £66.09 and 105 cast ewes that levelled at £72.97. Four rams averaged £85.25.
