The price of raw milk sold to dairy product makers rose by ¥5 per kg in October as imported cattle feed gets costlier amid the weakening yen.

In response, three major milk product makers — Meiji Co., Morinaga Milk Industry Co. and Megmilk Snow Brand — have raised the retail prices of their products by 1 to 4 percent.

"The milk industry has long been in an abnormal state of severe price competition," said Masatoshi Uchihashi, director general of the Japan Dairy Council.