NI milk league: winter bonus puts Aurivo on top for January

Aurivo has claimed the top spot in the January milk league, having come in third position for the previous month. Aurivo producers have benefited mainly from an increase in their base price of 0.5p/l and from the co-op paying an additional 1p/l winter bonus. When combined, this brings Aurivo’s January price to 26p/l with normal premiums for milk quality to be applied after this.

In the January league, a 650,000-litre seasonal supplier, with milk fat of 4.08%, protein of 3.29%, lactose of 4.70%, TBC of 17 and SCC of 218 would have received an average price of 26.8p/l when supplying milk to Aurivo.

Second in the league was LacPatrick, paying an average price of 26.75p/l to producers supplying milk under the Red Tractor label. LacPatrick was also in third place with its non-Red Tractor milk, paying an average price of 26.55p/l.

It is a significant move up the table from LacPatrick’s December position when it was at the bottom of the league. The co-op increased its base price by 1p/l to 25.5p/l before adjustments based on milk quality and volume.

Dale Farm is placed in fourth position with an average price of 26.36p/l for alternate day collection. It has slipped from second position in December when it paid a 2p/l winter bonus. With the winter bonus not applicable in January, it increased its January base price by 1.5p/l to 25.5p/l.

Glanbia Cheese is in fifth position with an average price of 26.2p/l. The Magheralin-based company increased its January base price by 2p/l, but with a 2p/l winter bonus no longer applying, effectively held its January price unchanged from December at 25.25p/l.

Glanbia Milk and Fivemiletown had an average price of 26.19p/l. Both processors were unchanged in their monthly base price at 24.9p/l, plus their usual 0.6p/l loyalty bonus, which is paid throughout the year.

Having claimed the top spot in November and December, mainly because of a 3p/l winter bonus, Lakeland Dairies has slipped down the table in January to eighth position. Lakeland added 0.5p/l to its base price, bringing it to 25p/l. But without the winter bonus, and once quality adjustments are made to reflect the position in January, the average 650,000-litre Lakeland producer would have received 26p/l for January milk, a drop of 2.67p/l on the previous month.

Strathroy Dairy is at the bottom of the league table having kept its base price at 24p/l for January. It paid a further 1p/l winter bonus bringing its producers to a price of 25p/l before adjustments for quality and volume. In January, Strathroy paid an average price of 25.79p/l for Red Tractor milk and 25.59p/l for standard milk.

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