'I make £100 a week after £300k investment'

A Warwickshire dairy farmer who invested £300,000 in robotic milking technology to secure the future of his business said a global slump in milk prices has left him earning just £100 a week.

The BBC first visited Paul Rowland at Ladywood Farm in Nuneaton last year when the farmer had just installed three robotic milking units - a move he described as "the only way to keep milking".

At the time, Rowland was hopeful the investment would pay for itself within seven years.

But twelve months on, and after becoming a new dad, Rowland said he was no longer making a profit.

Milk prices have dropped sharply since Christmas, driven by what Rowland called a global over-supply.

Europe and the US have increased production, processors are "flooded", and his own buyer has capped how much milk he can send each month.

That cap has forced him to hold back production, even though robotic milking typically helps cows produce more milk.

"We'd have made the money back if milk prices stayed good," he said. "But now we're producing milk we can't sell. Some days we're literally tipping milk down the drain."

Rowland said his processor paid 32.2p per litre last month, almost exactly the same as his cost of production.

"So no, we're not really making a profit. I take about £100 a week for myself."

Rowland said that after becoming a father to his son Billy, the situation was "a bit more real", but he tried not to dwell on the numbers.

He said: "If you stop and think about it, it probably would worry you. So I don't stop and think about it."

Despite everything, Rowland said he remained committed to robotic milking, and to farming.

"I wouldn't want to do it any other way now. It's bad at the minute, but this time last year it was good. You've just got to keep going."

He hopes the market will stabilise and that supply and demand will rebalance.

"If things levelled out, you could actually plan. At the minute it's boom and bust."

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