The decision by some processors to increase base prices and pay input support payments for March supplies means a gap of 3.6p/l has opened from the highest to lowest starting milk prices.

Tirlán is well out in front and as shown in Table B, is the only processor to pay over 40p/l to 1m litre suppliers of high and average solids milk.

For high solids milk, March prices across all processors averaged 38.71p/l, up from a 37.91p/l average back in February. Tirlán/Fivemiletown leads the pack on 42.29p/l.

A 0.5p increase to base and 1.25p/l support payment means Aurivo makes the biggest positional gain, jumping from last place in February to finish second for March.

Dale Farm slips one place to third, edging out Lakeland Dairies by the narrowest of margins, although NI’s largest processor does move up two places to finish fourth. Strathroy drops from third to fifth with Leprino moving from fifth to sixth.

For milk produced at average solids, prices across the board averaged 37.92p/l, up from the February figure of 37.19p/l.

Tirlán is in front on 40.99p/l and tops this particular analysis for the fifth consecutive month.

Aurivo is once again the biggest mover in terms of positional gains, shooting up the table from last to second with a price of 37.73p/l. Lakeland climbs two places to third.

The remaining processors are going in the wrong direction, with Strathroy dropping one place to fourth. Dale Farm is down three places to fifth, while Leprino Foods is down two places to finish last.

When comparing milk pricing over the last 12 months, Tirlán has strengthened its position in the lead of our analysis for high and average solids.

Dale Farm remains its closest competitor in both instances, followed by Strathroy.

There are no positional changes in the lower half of the tables.

For average solids, the gap from top to bottom now stands at 2.2p/l, up from 2.07p/l when calculated last month.

On low solids milk, Strathroy remains the best paying processor over the last 12 months at 34.23p/l.

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