Latest news with #freshmilk
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
The vending machine and robots helping farm in Harbury survive
A vending machine, offering fresh milk direct to customers, has helped a farm in Warwickshire diversify and survive, the owners say. George and Heather Clarke run a herd of more than 100 cows at Chesterton House Farm in Harbury near Leamington offer non-homogenised pasteurised milk from their Milk Shed - along with a selection of coffees and have also been deployed at the site, in an effort to cut down work for the farmers. The diversification scheme was "just another revenue stream," said Mr Clarke. "Most of the milk goes to a milk buyer," he said, "but as much as we can is sold through the milk machine.""We have people come from Daventry and there's a group comes from Dudley" for their milk, added Mrs Clarke. "It's also helped bridge a gap in the village - it's not just a smelly farm - it does actually produce quite a high-value product," Mr Clarke added. Two robots, named after their children Martha and Ralph, are also being used to work more efficiently. "As the cows eat they tend to nose the food away from the feed fence and they can't reach it," explained Mr Clarke. "So this robot comes out every hour, every 45 minutes and just pushes the food back in for them so they can reach it again. "It works really well, it saves my back having to push it all in with a fork". Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Zawya
14-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Kuwait dairy farms hit by foot-and-mouth outbreak, milk prices surge
KUWAIT CITY - A recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in several local dairy farms has triggered a sharp rise in fresh milk prices, with some companies reporting increases of nearly 40 percent. These companies have approached the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, urging immediate intervention to mitigate the impact on the sector. According to informed sources, the Ministry has received formal reports from affected dairy companies indicating a 30 to 40 percent spike in operational costs. The outbreak has led to a significant drop in local milk production, estimated between 20 to 30 percent, which has created a gap between supply and demand, exerting financial pressure on suppliers. The sources explained that this imbalance is also affecting milk distributed through the government's ration card system. In response, companies have proposed financial compensation to offset the losses incurred due to rising production costs and falling sales margins. However, Minister of Commerce Khalifa Al-Ajeel has emphasized that any measures to address the issue must not involve increasing the retail price of fresh milk, either in the market or through government supply channels. He noted that the current crisis is temporary and does not warrant a permanent adjustment in consumer pricing. Officials from the Ministry are reportedly in ongoing discussions with major milk suppliers to assess the financial impact of the disease outbreak. The goal is to develop a fiscal solution that relieves pressure on suppliers without burdening consumers with higher prices. Arab Times | © Copyright 2024, All Rights Reserved Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( arabtimes
