Kerry Group has opened a forward price scheme for suppliers which will pay farmers 40.75c/l, excluding VAT.

It is the 29th forward price scheme from the processor and it opened for online applications at 2pm on Thursday 20 January.

The scheme will apply for milk supplied between July and October 2022 at 3.3% protein and 3.6% fat.

The scheme will close at 2pm on Friday 31 January. Including VAT, the scheme will pat 43c/l.

December milk prices

In the last week, the majority of processors have set prices for December milk.

In some cases, farmers are receiving over 60c/l when bonuses, VAT and high milk solids are included.

The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) has said that the breaking of the 40c/l ceiling on milk price is "indicative of a trend" that it expects to continue into at least the first half of 2022.

ICMSA dairy chair Noel Murphy said that the association believes that all milk processors should be paying in excess of 40c/l for December milk, as the dairy market data clearly shows that a price in excess of that figure fully justified.