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For the second month in a row, Glanbia Milk and Fivemiletown are at the top of the Northern Ireland milk league, paying 30.1p/l to suppliers for milk delivered in February on alternate day collection.
The price includes a 3p/l winter bonus, which Glanbia has paid to its suppliers for both January and February milk.
Due to the agreement in place with Fivemiletown, suppliers to the Tyrone co-op also benefit from the bonus payment.
When normal top-up payments and transport charges are factored in, a price gap of more than 3p/l exists between Glanbia/Fivemiletown at the top and Dale Farm at the bottom of the table.
NI’s largest milk processor has finished bottom for the second successive month, with an alternate day price of 26.93p/l.
Milk quality
The February league is based on a 650,000-litre producer on alternate day collection, with a supply profile reflecting the NI average. Milk quality is set at 4.06% butterfat, 3.26% protein, 4.71% lactose, 17 TBC and 185 SCC, and is based on DAERA milk statistics for February 2017.
Price cuts
All processors, with the exception of Strathroy, reduced their base for February.
In the case of Glanbia/Fivemiletown, base price was cut by 0.5p/l to 26p/l, which includes their 0.6p/l year-round bonus.
Next in the league table is Strathroy, which held its base price on 26.5p/l and paid a winter bonus of 1p/l on February milk, leaving an alternate day price of 28.78p/l.
Despite taking its base down by 0.75p/l to 25.75p/l, Glanbia Cheese climbed two places to sit fourth in the February league, paying 27.25p/l.
The Magheralin-based processor’s league position is boosted by milk quality payments, with its 0.2p/l mozzarella bonus key to placing it above Lakeland, which is in fifth place. Lakeland also cut its base to 25.75p/l, which was matched by LacPatrick in sixth place.
LacPatrick’s decision to suspend milk collection charges last month means it is ahead of Aurivo and Dale Farm in the final analysis, despite both processors paying from a higher base price of 26p/l.
Rolling average
Although Dale Farm is bottom of the monthly league table for February, it has still paid the highest milk price across the last 12 months. Its rolling average over the period is 28.8p/l for alternate day collection and 28.37p/l for daily collection.
Lakeland remains just behind, in second place, for alternate day collection on 28.64p/l, followed by Glanbia Cheese in third on 28.34p/l.
Glanbia Milk/Fivemiletown are up one place to fourth, followed by Aurivo and Strathroy, with LacPatrick paying the lowest milk price over the last 12 months.
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