Strathroy and Tirlán gain new suppliers

Strathroy and Tirlán gain new suppliers

Both Strathroy Dairies and Tirlán have taken on a number of new suppliers from Lakeland Dairies, effective from 1 July.

According to reports from both processors, the combined milk pool changing hands is in the region of 11m litres with a relatively even split between Strathroy and Tirlán.

It is understood a significant number of Lakeland suppliers had expressed an intention to switch processors following completion of a 12-month notice period.

However, Lakeland’s decision to change to a solids based payment appears to have placated the majority of those farmers serving notice periods.

GDT auction takes a 6.9% hit

The first New Zealand GDT auction of July saw the price index plummeting 6.9% making it the biggest drop in value since the index fell by 7.4% back in August 2023.

While Tuesday’s event follows on from a 0.5% price fall in mid-June, only four of the last 15 GDT auctions have been negative. Butter, cheddar and milk powder all recorded major price cuts.

Meanwhile, figures published by DAERA show the average farmgate milk price in April was 37.45p/l, down 0.32p/l on March, but 3.1p/l higher year on year.

Milk output totalled 235.01m litres in April, down from 235.04m in March and the first time since November 2023 that monthly production volumes have been lower year on year. Production over the first months of 2024 has totalled 899m litres, up from 888m last year.

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