Milk production hits peak levels during May, and as yields increase, milk solids are lower than in previous months.

This means base price, volume bonuses and transport charges have a much greater bearing on final milk price.

For a 1m litre producer, Table B shows the prices paid for milk produced at three different qualities for May, as outlined in Table 1.

For good quality milk, the average price across all processors was 31.68p/l during May, up from 31.55p/l for milk supplied in April.

Glanbia Ireland/Fivemiletown leads the pack and is the only processor to pay above 32p/l at the outlined milk qualities.

Lakeland Dairies and Aurivo climb from fifth and sixth places to finish in a tie for third spot on 31.71p/l, with both processors helped by bonuses on milk hygiene.

Moving in the opposite direction are Dale Farm and Glanbia Cheese, while Strathroy rounds out the table.

For average quality milk, the average across all processors is 30.58p/l, down 0.07p/l on the previous month. This decrease is due to lower fat and protein percentages used in our calculations as production reaches peak levels.

Glanbia Ireland is top of the table on 30.95p/l, overtaking Dale Farm which has slipped from first to fourth spot with a price of 30.55p/l.

Glanbia Cheese was second in April, and is now third, on 30.71p/l. At the outlined milk quality, its 0.4p/l mozzarella bonus and 0.65p/l volume bonus boost its final league position despite the Magheralin processor having the lowest base price of 28.75p/l.

Elsewhere, Aurivo is in fifth with Lakeland and Strathroy rounding out the table.

Across all processors, May base prices averaged 29.32p/l, the highest monthly figure since December 2017, and the highest average since September 2017 if winter bonuses are excluded.

Given that base prices have increased in 10 out of the last 12 months, the rolling average milk price continues to rise month on month.

Lakeland leads on good quality milk, paying 30. 58p/l with Glanbia/Fivemiletown second on 30.40p/l. Glanbia Cheese remains fourth, with Aurivo and Dale Farm tied fifth.

For average quality milk, Glanbia Ireland / Fivemiletown remains in first, a position it has held for the outlined milk quality for the last 18 months. All positions are unchanged from the previous month.

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