The Northland Dairy Farmers’ Co-operative has raised concerns following the announcement of improving milk production within the industry.

Chairman Hirday Lakhan says while they welcome significant signs of recovery they are also wary that price for molasses – the main feed for cows could increase.

Lakhan says that this has been an ongoing practice that they see unfitting towards dairy farmers.

“We have been talking in the industry that when we get a price increase we should try and keep the information quiet, a few weeks after the milk price increase there was a huge increase in one of the farm input which was molasses, it went from $80 to $102 a drum”

Lakhan says that an increase in the cost of molasses dilutes farmers’ benefits.

Meanwhile, Fiji Dairy Industry Company Limited Chairman Simon Cole says that cows remaining in production are producing more efficient.

He adds that this has not had a major impact on overall production as cattle continue to die from Bovine Tuberculosis.