Following Friday’s announcement from Lakeland Dairies that it will pay 34.15c/l ex-VAT for May supplies, IFA dairy chair Stephen Arthur has called on Glanbia to return the same price and “stop finding themselves left behind on milk price.”

Arthur said: “The market is delivering 36c/l. We expect all milk processors to pay this price to dairy farmers.

“Should Glanbia fail to lift the milk price at Monday’s board meeting, there would be a differential of 1.39c/l between themselves and their closest neighbours.”

The IFA estimates that for a 500,000l herd, this equates to a difference of approximately €900 at base price for May milk.

“This would be inexplicable, and a continuing embarrassment for Glanbia. Input costs are rising rapidly. Farmers need what the market is delivering,” Arthur concluded.