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Base prices for August milk averaged 29.51p/l across all processors, a 0.2p/l increase on the previous month.
Outside of any month when winter bonuses are applicable, it is the highest monthly average since September 2017, when prices averaged 29.84p/l.
Shown in Table B are milk prices paid to 1m litre suppliers for August milk, on alternate day collection, and across three different qualities as outlined in Table 1 on the opposite page.
On good quality milk, the average across all processors was 31.99p/l. It is an increase of 0.4p/l from July, which is due to both higher base prices and the rise in milk quality in August.
Glanbia Ireland tops the table for the fifth month in a row on 32.37p/l.
With various processors increasing base prices, there have been a number of positional changes from the July league table.
Lakeland Dairies climb one place to finish third on 32.17. At the outlined milk quality, both Lakeland and Glanbia pay a “super-hygiene” bonus that boosts the final price.
Dale Farms rises one position to fourth, with Glanbia Cheese up one place to fifth. Aurivo slips three places to finish sixth with Strathroy rounding out the table.
Average quality
However, the reality is that only a handful of farmers will meet the various criteria required to achieve the bonuses paid for good quality milk.
As a result, it is the prices paid for average quality milk that are more likely to be relevant in the majority of cases.
Within this band, the average across all processors was 30.95p/l, a rise of 0.25p/l on the previous month.
Again, Glanbia Ireland finishes first on 31.23p/l.
Thanks to its 0.65p/l volume and mozzarella bonus, Glanbia Cheese holds on to third spot.
Dale Farm remains in fourth, but Lakeland gains one place to finish fifth with Aurivo moving in the opposite direction.
Rolling average
For the 12-month period ending August 2021, Table C shows the average price paid by each processor across the three different milk qualities.
Higher prices in 2021 means the rolling prices continue to increase each month. On good quality milk, the average is up by a further 0.3p/l, to 31.27p/l. Lakeland holds on to top spot, edging out Glanbia Ireland by 0.04p/l.
On average quality milk, Glanbia Ireland has led this table for 21 months in a row, with a 12-month average now at 30.5p/l. There are no positional changes from the previous month.
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