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While base prices across all milk processors averaged 38.09p/l for March supplies, once adjustments are made for 1m litre producers of high-solids milk, all prices, bar one, are over 40p/l.
The March base price average is 3p/l ahead of the equivalent from February, and 9p/l more than in March 2021, although on many farms these increases are probably matched by rising input costs.
For a dairy farmer supplying 1m litres annually, Table B outlines the prices paid by each processor for milk produced at three different qualities, as shown in Table 1.
Across all processors, the average price paid for high-solids milk is 40.69p/l. Glanbia Ireland leads with a price of 42.01p/l for milk collected on alternate days.
For the second month in a row Dale Farm finishes third on 41.27p/l. Glanbia Cheese remains in fourth spot with its final price boosted by a 0.4p/l mozzarella top-up and 0.65p/l volume bonus.
Aurivo gains two places to finish fifth.
Strathroy has slipped two places to seventh and is the only processor not to pay over 40p/l.
Average milk solids
For milk produced with solids closer to the NI average, just Glanbia Ireland and Dale Farm paid above 40p/l, with Glanbia leading on 41.03p/l and Dale farm on a price of 40.29p/l.
Glanbia Cheese remains in fourth, while Aurivo climbs two places to fifth.
Lakeland stays in sixth place, with Strathroy slipping to the bottom of the table.
Across all processors the average price paid for this quality of milk was 39.78p/l.
Rolling average
Shown in Table C is the rolling milk price for a 1m litre producer over the last 12 months.
As base price continues to rise, so does the rolling average. Glanbia Ireland dominates across all three milk qualities, leading high solids milk for the sixth month in a row with an average price of 34.9p/l. Dale Farm is next, followed by Glanbia Cheese.
For milk with average solids, there are no positional changes compared to the previous league table, with Glanbia remaining out in front on 33.83p/l.
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