Arla and First Milk announced a reduction in their March milk prices this week. Meanwhile MÜller decided to lower its price to 26.5p/l from April 2018.

NFU Scotland said it had hoped that improving market signals in recent weeks would stall unreasonable price cuts.

“These price falls must not spark a repetition of previous downward spirals where producers are left to carry all the burden,” said Milk Committee chair John Smith.

“Production costs have soared with the very wet summer and autumn of 2017.

“Post-Brexit, we need contractual arrangements that promote fairness across the whole dairy supply chain and protect it from bully boy tactics.”