1m litres of milk imported every day.

A FARMING chairman from Wales says more than 1m litres of milk are being imported daily to the UK as farmers continue to be forced out of dairying.

RABDF chairman Lyndon Edwards said 2008 saw a 1.46 billion litre shortfall in milk production - forcing the country to import.

He said this situation would continue in the long term unless processors, retailers and the food service start working together in order to secure future supplies and commit to sourcing home produced fresh liquid milk and dairy products.

Speaking at the Dairy Event and Livestock Show in Warwickshire, he said: "After witnessing the UK dairy industry literally halving to 17,060 dairy farmers in the last 10 years against a background of low milk prices, it's hardly surprising to find that farmers are continuing to quit dairying, albeit at a slightly slower rate of 14 per week.

"Consequently, the UK recorded a significant 1.46 billion litre shortfall in milk production in 2008, a figure that led to daily imports amounting to one million litres of liquid milk to meet with its 18 million litre daily requirement.

"In addition, we imported a total of 405,000 tonnes of cheese."

Mr Edwards, who farms in Monmouthshire, added: "RABDF continues to believe that all UK dairy farmers must receive a fair and sustainable milk price in order to; help secure the UK's food supply, reduce the deficit balance of payments, and ensure that the people who protect and manage the rural environment can continue to do so for the British public whilst providing fresh, quality, British milk."