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For the first time on record in NI, two processors are paying from a starting point above 50p/l once winter bonuses are added in.
Lakeland Dairies set the tone early last week, confirming it was holding base price at 46p/l, but with a 1.5p/l input support payment and the 3p/l winter bonus, it left the co-op at 50.5p/l.
Just behind Lakeland, Dale Farm increased base price by 1p/l, and once its 2p/l winter bonus is included, it is a starting price of 50.05p/l.
Glanbia Cheese was the only other processor that increased its base for November.
This leaves the average base price across all processors at 49.03p/l, just over 15p/l above the equivalent figure for the same month last year.
Shown in Table B are the prices paid to 1m-litre producers supplying milk at three different qualities, as outlined in Table 1 on the opposite page.
On high solids milk, the average price paid in November is up 0.9p/l to stand at 52.3p/l.
Lakeland Dairies climbs four places to finish out in front on 54.15p/l and thanks to its 3p/l winter bonus, it has led our milk league analysis every November going back to 2013.
Included within this price is the 0.5p/l payment, which is being made on all litres produced in 2022.
Dale Farm drops one place to finish second on 52.99p/l, while Glanbia Cheese is third on 52.71p/l. Tirlán remains in fourth with Aurivo and Strathroy rounding out the table.
Moving to milk produced at average solids, the price paid across all processors came to 51.62p/l, an increase of 1.1p/l on the previous month.
Again, Lakeland climbs four places to lead on 53.4p/l, overtaking Dale Farm which is second on 52.22p/l. Glanbia Cheese slips one place to third, with Tirlán fourth.
Rolling average
Having topped our monthly league tables on seven occasions this year, Tirlán continues to lead our analysis of 12-month rolling average prices across all three milk qualities, as shown in Table C.
Behind Tirlán, the Lakeland 0.5p/l payment has been factored in to its 12-month rolling price and this has improved its league position across all three milk qualities. For average-quality milk, Lakeland has moved up from fourth to second, ahead of Dale Farm and Glanbia Cheese.
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