Milk buyers in NI have set their base price for March and there has been significant price cuts by some.

As a result, a price differential of 3p/l has opened between the highest and lowest paying processors.

Leading the way is Dale Farm holding its price on a base of 27.7p/l for March, which is effectively 28p/l when its 0.3p/l loyalty bonus is included.

Lakeland Dairies is on 27p/l, down 1p/l on February. Like last month, the Cavan-based co-op reduced its base price, this time by 2p/l, to 25p/l. But it has included a weather-related payment to assist suppliers struggling with fodder issues, worth an additional 2p/l.

Aurivo has effectively matched Lakeland on a base of 27p/l, which is a cut of 1p/l from the previous month.

Omagh-based Strathroy Dairy is also on a base of 27p/l which is unchanged from February. However, its 1p/l winter bonus payment is no longer applicable on milk supplied from March onwards.

LacPatrick made another significant cut of 2p/l to its milk price, which puts it on a base of 25p/l and 3p/l adrift of Dale Farm.

Glanbia Milk and Fivemiletown have cut their milk price by 1.5p/l and are now on an all-in base price of 26.5p/l, which includes its 0.6p/l year-round supplier payment.

Glanbia Cheese is also on a base of 26.5p/l after a cut of 1p/l on the previous month.

GDT

This week’s GDT auction resulted in a 2.7% increase in the index price with positive returns on butter, cheese and milk powders which are key products for NI milk processors.