Supermarket milk supplies are at threat following a fall in the number of organic cows in the UK, experts have warned.

According to the Financial Times, organic milk production has plunged in recent years as many dairy farmers have switched to conventional milk to stay afloat amid soaring inflation.

However, consumer appetite for more expensive dairy products has risen of late. In the year to March, demand for organic milk increased 3.9%, according to Nielsen data, while official statistics show that the number of organic dairy farms dropped from 400 in 2021 to just over 300 this year.

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If farmers were to try and meet this increased demand for organic milk, it could take two to three years for a farm’s crops to be converted to achieve organic status, alongside the fact that organic milk is more expensive to produce than conventional milk.

It comes as a survey last year by the National Farmers Union (NFU) found that 9% of farmers are likely to stop milk production altogether in the next two years.

A further 23% said they were “unsure” if their business would continue production, following record-high inflation in 2022 at 11.1%.