NI milk production hit record levels in 2017 with 2.283bn litres processed, surpassing the previous high point of 2.266bn litres in 2015.

According to DAERA statistics, dairy processors paid an average 28.68p/l on all milk supplied during 2017, an increase of 8.44p/l on the previous year.

Higher prices

For a dairy farmer producing 1m litres annually, the higher prices were worth an extra £84,000 in milk sales.

The average price paid in 2017 is the third highest recorded in NI, following 31.34p and 29.31p/l paid in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Britain

Looking at milk prices in Britain, they were marginally higher than those paid in NI during 2017. The average from January to December was 28.74p/l, 0.06p/l ahead of NI.

However, closer analysis shows that milk prices in NI were above those in Britain from June to December 2017.

Milk production in Britain totalled 12.411bn litres during 2017, an increase of 400m litres on 2016 and putting it on par with record production levels in 2015. Total UK milk production for 2017 stood at a record 14.69bn litres.

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