National milk supplies this month are well back compared to April 2021. This continues a trend of lower milk supply reported in March.

Higher feed prices, coupled with fertiliser price and availability issues, are part of the reason behind the change in supply.

Survey

April milk supply could end up back between 30m and 40m litres for April. Our survey this week of the main milk companies shows milk supply is back among most of the big players.

Glanbia estimates supply is back 3% compared to the same period in 2021. Dairygold Co-op is believed to be in a similar position.

Kerry Group is back 2% compared to 2021. Aurivo Co-op in the west is back 1% in April compared to the same period last year. In addition, the four west Cork co-ops are back between 2% and 4%.

In contrast, Lakeland Dairies reports that milk supply is up 6% for April year-on-year.

The situation is very different to what has been the case for the last five years, where year-on-year, milk supply has been increasing as more cows calved down following the removal of milk quotas in 2015. In April 2016, milk supply was 750m litres.

In 2021, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) numbers, April milk supply was up 6% relative to the year before (2020) and for the first time in April last year, milk supply breached 1bn litres for the month.