A 12m litre, or 4%, increase was recorded in winter milk supplied between October 2017 and February, according to the most recent report from the National Milk Agency.

In total, 324m litres of winter milk was produced, which more than satisfied national liquid milk consumption for the same period, which is marked for 243m litres.

Winter milk contracts represent just 6% of all milk contracts

There is often a higher cost associated with producing winter milk, but there was a specific 4% increase in the amount of milk produced in December and January, with 127m litres recorded for the two months.

The number of farmers supplying winter milk contracts grew to 102, a small rise, which brings the number of suppliers back up to 2014 levels.

Winter milk contracts represent just 6% of all milk contracts and the amount of milk they produce accounts for just 1% of milk supplies.

Overall, domestic milk supplies increased by 9% to 7,263m litres in 2017.

See this week’s Irish Farmers Journal for more detailed coverage of the National Milk Agency’s annual report.

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Slight increase in winter milk supplies last year

The number of winter milk contracts increased for the first time since 2014.