Two dairy farms in Bradford are forced to shut every year because of Government failure to ensure farmers get a fair price for their milk, the Conservatives have claimed.

Government figures show there are now 58 farms in Bradford which have cows - compared with 66 four years ago. Since 2002, 2,125 dairy farms have closed across the country - the equivalent of more than onea day.

Shadow Agriculture Minister Jim Paice said: "These figures provide further evidence of the dire state of the British dairy industry. The Government's failure to toughen up the Supermarket Code of Practice, along with its over-complicated regulations, and inaction on Bovine TB, have all put unnecessary pressure on the dairy industry."

Keighley Labour MP Ann Cryer has made repeated calls for the Government to step in and secure a fair deal for farmers. She was one of a number of MPs to sign a Parliamentary petition who feared farmers are at risk of losing their livelihood as supermarket giants continue to press for lower prices on buying milk.

In July, 2001, farmers were paid 20.43p for a litre of milk, but six years on they are only paid 17.17p.

Last year Defra minister Barry Gardiner said the Government would not hold talks with the EU to ensure Bradford dairy farmers are not short-changed when selling milk.

Mr Gardiner said it was the responsibility of individual farmers to "calculate, then minimise their costs of production while maximising their margins through negations with their milk purchasers".

He said it was not right for the Government to get involved at either UK or EU level.