As with the 650,000l leagues, Glanbia Ireland is also setting the pace when it comes to prices paid to farmers supplying over 1m litres per year.

Shown in Table B are the monthly milk prices paid by each processor calculated at three different milk qualities, which are outlined in Table 1 on the opposite page.

On good quality milk, the June average price across all processors is 31.67p/l, just a fraction lower than the 31.68p/l recorded for May.

Glanbia Ireland tops the table on 32.19p/l and is the only processor to pay above the 32p/l threshold.

In third place, Aurivo just edges out Lakeland Dairies, despite starting on a higher base price at 29.5p/l compared to 29.2p/l.

Helping Lakeland close the gap is a zero collection charge on alternate day milk collection.

That leaves Dale Farm in fifth, with Glanbia Cheese and Strathroy rounding out the table.

Average quality

Moving to average quality milk, which probably more accurately reflects actual farmgate prices paid to farmers in June, the average across all processors is 30.59p/l, a rise of 0.1p/l on the previous month.

With all prices paid being above the 30p/l mark, Glanbia Ireland leads the pack on 30.97p/l.

Positions remain unchanged from the previous month, with Glanbia Cheese holding the third spot, followed by Dale Farm, Aurivo, Lakeland Dairies and Strathroy.

Rolling average prices

Shown in Table C are the rolling average prices paid by each processor over the 12 month period ending June 2021. Again, pricing is calculated at three different milk qualities.

With the average base price for June 2021 being 4.8p/l higher than the same month last year, and base prices increasing in nine of the past 12 months, the rolling average milk price continues to rise month-on-month. Lakeland continues to lead on good quality milk, paying 30. 94p/l, with Glanbia Ireland in second. Glanbia Cheese remains in fourth, with Dale Farm fifth. Aurivo slips one spot to sixth.

For average quality milk, Glanbia Ireland has now led this table for 19 months. All other positions are unchanged from last month. The gap in prices from top to bottom has widened slightly to 0.81p/l.

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