The dairy companies producing milk powders and butter are really showing the commodity market benefits this month as a number of them lifted August milk price.

Lakeland Dairies continued its strong showing since the start of the year on base price, lifting another 0.5c/l (0.06c/kg MS), keeping it ahead of the chasing pack.

Arrabawn, Dairygold, North Cork and Tipperary Co-op all increased their August base price, bringing them up to within shouting distance of the Lakeland leaders.

The west Cork co-ops that are heavily dependent on cheese held their base price and, hence, they fall down the pecking order.

Kerry suppliers are the big losers this month. They got a July top-up that shifted them to the top for that month, but as this didn’t reappear for August they have fallen right down to the bottom.

The only thing separating them from the foot of the table is Boherbue, the small north Cork co-op that supplies product to Rathmore.

Boherbue was there last month and remains in relegation territory for August.

Glanbia held its milk price for August and, again, that means it falls down relative to the others that increased base milk price for August.

The gap between the Ornua equivalent price and what the co-ops deliver continues into August.

As usual, Figures 2 and 3 show the comparisons at a standardised milk fat and protein and at the actual payout for the co-op based on the milk solids that it receives from its suppliers.

Figure 3 shows that Dairygold tops the cheque payout as it had milk protein of 3.6% and a fat of 4.22% so its August cheque averaged €17,474.