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The Ornua board has decided not to reintroduce the monthly Ornua milk levy.
The milk levy was suspended on 1 May 2016. It was agreed at that time that the board would reconsider the suspension of the milk levy when the Ornua Purchase Price Index returned to 103 (30.5c/l incl VAT) for three consecutive months.
According to a spokesperson for Ornua, the "board has decided in recognition of the ongoing challenges being experienced by Irish dairy farming families due to the recent global dairy market downturn, that a more sustained period of a sustainable milk price would be required before a reintroduction is considered".
The spokesperson added that the levy will be considered again in autumn 2017.
The levy is taken at a rate of 0.14c/litre for each litre of milk produced.
Milk price
The Kerry Group announced a lift in January milk price by 2c/litre to bring it to 29.4c/l excluding VAT at 3.3% protein and 3.6% fat.
Both Lakeland and Glanbia increased by 1c/l earlier in the week. Carbery has decided not to increase January milk price. Drinagh, one of the west Cork co-ops, removed its 0.5 c/litre bonus for January.
Lakeland also increased its January price by 0.5p/l in Northern Ireland, bringing it to 25p/l. Its NI price for December was 27.5p/l but this included a 3p/l winter bonus
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