Based on prices for November and including all winter bonus payments, farmgate milk prices averaged 31.15p/ litre across all processors.

This puts prices 0.2p/litre higher than October 2017 and 6p/litre higher when compared with November 2016.

For a 1,000,000-litre producer supplying 70,000 litres during November, the price increase is worth an extra £4,200 in additional income when compared with the same month last year.

During November, a number of processors paid in excess of 34p/litre for good-quality milk.

Lakeland has the stand-out price, paying in excess of 36p/litre due to its 3p/litre winter bonus, in addition to the 1p/litre super hygiene bonus and exemption of transport charges on alternate day milk collection.

The co-op also paid strongly on average-quality milk, although the super hygiene bonus does not apply at the outlined cell counts.

Rolling average

Turning to the average milk prices paid over the past 12 months, Tables A and B outline the average prices for the main dairy processors in NI from December 2016 to November 2017.

For the first time, Strathroy is included in the rolling average tables, having submitted pricing information over the last 12-month period.

In Table A, Glanbia Milk and Fivemiletown continue to pay the highest milk price on good- and average-quality milk to suppliers producing 350,000 litres annually. In both instances, they are followed by Aurivo and then Lakeland.

One million litres

For larger suppliers producing good-quality milk, Lakeland has reclaimed first place with a 12-month price of 29.96p/litre.

Glanbia Milk and Fivemiletown are in joint second place, with a price of 29.92p/litre, followed by Aurivo on 29.9p/litre.

However, for average-quality milk (which is probably most relevant to the majority of NI producers), it is Glanbia Milk and Fivemiletown out in front followed by Dale Farm and then Glanbia Cheese. Lakeland slips to fifth place, with Aurivo in sixth, followed by LacPatrick and Strathroy.