OK for Milk Marque processing plant
16 July 1999
OK for Milk Marque processing plant
MILK MARQUE has won planning permission from Mid-Devon council for a £50 million milk processing plant – despite condemnation by the Monopoly and Mergers Commission (MMC) of the implications of building the plant.
The MMC said in a recent report that building the plant at Cullompton in Devon could “be expected to operate against the public interest”.
The new facility will be able to process 720m litres of milk a year, making butter and skimmed milk powder.
Milk Marque has just published its annual report. It emphasised the difficult times its members faced as milk prices fell. Dairy farmers received 18.04ppl for milk during the year, down from 20.54p the previous year.
Group pre-tax profits rose from £13.6m to £23.9m in the year to 31 March. Turnover fell 17% to £1.2bn.
- Government orders Milk Marque reform, FWi, 06 July, 1999
- Financial Times 16/07/99 page 22