Large Japanese producers of milk and dairy products for the first time in four years will raise the price of their products.

The drop in raw milk production and the resulting increase in prices for raw milk purchased from dairy farmers are forcing Japanese large milk producers to raise prices for their products from April 1.

In addition to these factors, the increase in producer prices was also driven by an increase in the cost of packaging materials and labor. Morinaga Milk Industry Co., one of the leading Japanese dairy and sweets companies, announced new prices for 45 items of its products, including milk, yogurt and other dairy products. On average, retail prices will rise from 3 to 8.3%.

Meiji Co., a large food company, ranked fourth in the list of the world's largest manufacturers of confectionery products, also announced an increase in retail prices for its products, which could rise from 2.3% to 4.7%. Japanese dairy farmers face difficult conditions due to rising feed prices, while raw milk production continues to fall amid a reduction in the number of farmers in the country.