‘Milkmen are in better position’

By Nigel Baudains

MILKMEN are still trying to sell for six figure sums rounds which in effect have no equity. The claim has been made by Guernsey Farmers’ Association spokesman James Watts.

He said Commerce and Employment had tried to address this issue, but it had resulted only in intervention from the Scrutiny Committee.

‘I have no axe to grind with milkmen and it was wrong of the department to try and do something that would have taken the value out of their rounds overnight,’ said Mr Watts.

‘If they had tried to do it over say five to eight years, it would have given people the chance to pay their loans off.

‘But milkmen now are in a stronger position than they were before this process started.’

The industry claimed it needed milkmen to maintain doorstep sales, but Mr Watts did not agree.

He said they were in decline while shop sales were going up, meaning that overall milk sales were constant.

‘Doorstep deliveries are dropping off despite their ‘the milkmen’s’ best efforts,’ he said.

But Mr Watts’ comments have been met with astonishment by the Guernsey Milk Retailers’ Association.

‘The GMRA is most surprised by these unsubstantiated comments,’ said a spokesman.

‘Many rounds are based on doorstep deliveries alone. They are a valuable part of the business.’

The association said that if anyone would like milk delivered to their door, they should phone Jason Piriou, its president, on 265024, or vice-president Ian Wood on 253585.