Despite cutting its base price for the seventh month in a row, the Dale Farm starting price for December milk is still above 30p/l.

NI’s largest dairy co-op has reduced its base price by a further 2p/l, taking it to 28.3p/l, which is down 13.5p on that from May 2025.

However, the co-op pays a 1p winter support payment on December milk as well as its traditional 2p winter bonus, which takes the starting price to 31.3p/l.

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While there are transport costs, typically around 0.3 to 0.4p/l to factor in, there is also a payout made under its milk production realignment scheme, which averaged 0.69p/l in December.

Taking everything together it is likely to leave Dale Farm well ahead of its main rival, Lakeland Dairies, in the price paid for December milk.

On Monday, Lakeland confirmed its December price would be down by a further 2.5p/l, taking its base to 26.3p/l. Adding in a 3p/l winter bonus, takes the Lakeland starting point to 29.3p/l. There is also a 0.25p loyalty payment on all 2025 milk to be included.

Announcing its price on Monday, Lakeland said “unprecedented volumes of surplus milk” continue to weigh on global dairy commodity markets.

However, there are increasing signs that European dairy commodity markets have stabilised, although the prices being paid are still among the lowest over the last five years.

At the Dutch Dairy Board auction on Wednesday, butter was unchanged for the fourth week in a row at €4,100/t, with whole milk powder unchanged for the second week at €3,080/t.

Skim milk powder was up for the second week in succession to a price of €2,100/t.