Sainsbury is forging stronger links with the dairy industry.
The retailer has founded the Sainsbury's Dairy Communications Forum involving Express Dairies, Express Milk Partnership and other farmers' and consultative groups.
As part of the programme to strengthen their understanding of the industry issues, members of Sainsbury's senior team also took part in a milking session organised by the forum at Norrington Gate Farm in Wiltshire.

n SMP prices up
Following a disastrous year, there are signs that international prices are on the way up for the skim and whole milk powder sector.
Unexpectedly strong demand in the Far East has left New Zealand short of stock during the winter low-output period, and there are reports that prices for skim powder have moved up 12%, with a smaller rise of 5% for whole milk powder. EU exporters, currently enjoying the highest rate of export subsidy for nearly three years, look set to take advantage of this market opportunity. Some boost in exports, including from the UK, is likely over the coming three months.

n Eggs online
A new website has been launched by the British Egg Products Association. The site aims to provide a one-stop sourcing shop for all Lion Quality egg products.
The Lion mark is licensed to members of BEPA who produce the majority of egg products processed in the UK. BEPA chairman Clive Frampton said the website will give customers the opportunity to source the safest high quality egg products.

n Pink price hike
The price of Alaskan pink salmon is set to rise due to a 60% fall in availability on last year.
Promotional activity for pink at 49p will come to an abrupt end, with a level of 79p now more likely. With some reds still being promoted at under £1 for a 213g can, industry observers fear pinks could become more expensive. However, importers believe no retailer would list pink above red.

n Cheddar decline
Cheddar production in England and Wales fell in June by 15% compared with a year earlier, according to provisional figures from DEFRA.
The falls makes it the second month in succession to see a decline, with May output dropping back 10%.
It also means that Cheddar output in the first half of this year is now exactly in line with output in the first half of 2001.
This recent switch in the trend follows an 18-month period in which monthly output has been steadily rising and reflects the fact that UK manufacturers needed a pause in the upward trends to bring their stocks back in line with market demand.
This stock rebalancing has also been helped by a major reduction in UK Cheddar imports during the first five months of this year.
Total Cheddar imports this year up to May at 30,000 tonnes were 17% down on the same period last year.

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