There was a marginal drop in the amount of domestic milk taken in last year, according to new data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Overall in 2024, milk intake by Irish processors and co-ops was 8.43bn litres, representing a small decrease of 30.6m litres or 0.4% when compared with 2023.

However, comparing 2024 with 2022, milk intake was back 4.5%.

Milk intake increased substantially from September to December 2024, up 14.5% when compared with the same months in 2023.

Whereas in the first eight months of 2024, milk intake was lower than in January to August 2023, back 4.8%.

Butter production fell marginally from 273,200t in 2023 to 267,600t in 2024.

Skim milk powder (SMP) production dropped by 17%, from 167,200t in 2023 to 138,800t in 2024, down 28,300t.

December

In the month of December 2024 alone, milk intake by processors and co-ops increased by 30% when compared with the same month in 2023. In the last month of last year, some 267.1m litres of milk was taken in.

However, when comparing December 2024 with the same month in 2022, milk intake was back 5.5%.

Fat content for December 2024 was 4.83%, up from 4.79% in December 2023. Protein content rose from 3.70% to 3.80% in the 12 months to December 2024.

SMP production was up from 8,800t in December 2023 to 10,700t in December 2024, an increase of 1,900t.

Butter production rose from 11,100t in December 2023 to 12,400t in December 2024.