Tirlán out in front across 1m-litre leagues

Having led our main milk league for the last seven months, it has resulted in Tirlán being out in front across all our analysis of prices paid to a 1m-litre producer in NI.

With five out of six processors increasing base prices in May, the average starting price stands at 35.88p/l. That figure is the highest average base price for NI milk since March 2023 and an increase of 4.2p/l when compared to May 2023.

Shown in Table B are the prices payable to a 1m-litre supplier for milk produced at high, average and low solids during May, with the parameters for each quality outlined in Table 1 on the opposite page.

On high solids milk, prices averaged 38.58p/l, a small increase from 38.42p/l recorded in April. Tirlán is out in front and the only processor to pay above 40p/l. Aurivo is second, with Dale Farm holding on to third place by way of the higher value it places on butterfat and protein. Strathroy climbs one place to fourth, as does Leprino Foods in fifth with the aid of its 0.65p/l volume and 0.4p/l mozzarella bonus.

That leaves Lakeland at the bottom of the table.

Average solids

For milk produced at average solids, Tirlán makes it seven months out in front with a price of 39.49p/l for milk collected on alternate days.

Aurivo remains in second for the third month in a row, with Strathroy moving up one spot to third. Volume and mozzarella bonuses boost the Leprino price, lifting the Magheralin processor two places to fourth. Lakeland slips two places to fifth, while Dale Farm finishes bottom.

Over the 12-month rolling period ending May 2024, Tirlán is now setting the pace across high, average and low solids.

On high solids milk, it has paid a rolling price of 37.14p/l, dropping to 35.96p/l for average solids. Dale Farm remains its closest competitor in both instances, although the gap from first to second positions has widened.

The only positional changes from the previous leagues sees Aurivo moving up to joint third with Strathroy on average solids, while on low solids, Tirlán has overtaken Strathroy to lead.

The Omagh-based company had paid the highest 12-month rolling price for low solids milk since early 2023.

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