Dairy farmers are urging major Australian retailers to lift retail milk prices as producers battle increasing fuel and fertiliser costs.

Dairy lobby group eastAUSmilk wants retail prices to go up by 30c per litre of milk for private label, which would allow for a price increase in other brands. The group’s president, Tim Bale, has written to Woolworths asking for the price increase. Bale feels the shelf price should be higher, saying farmers “really need a 10c—15c per litre lift.”