THE chairman of the Lancashire branch of the National Farmers’ Union has said supermarkets selling milk at low cost prices could ‘mean curtains’ for some farmers.

Graham Young, county chairman for the National farmers’ Union, said the group would be looking to hold meetings with farmers and supermarkets to try to and agree on a better deal for dairy producers.

Farmers who do not supply milk for one of the big four supermarkets - Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons - are not guaranteed to be paid enough to cover milk production costs.

Mr Young, who is also a dairy farmer at Greenhurst Farm, in Samlesbury, said that the issue was causing sleepless nights for farmers.

He said: “The top four supermarkets do a cost of production business and pay you the cost of production.

“But it seems there are quite a few of the cheaper supermarkets that are selling milk at 3.5p less than the cost of production and it means bankruptcy for farmers.

“There are quite a few farmers within the Blackburn area who will have to close down unless something is done.”

Mr Young said he was fortunate that he had signed a deal with one of the top four supermarkets, who guaranteed to cover his production costs, but that many other East Lancashire farmers were worried about their businesses.

He said: “There are quite a few people in this area being paid less and it is not looking good for them.

“Food prices are going up because we are importing - it just means curtains for some of them.

“It is one of the things that keeps your phone hot at night and it is worrying people.”