Glanbia Ireland/Fivemiletown continues to lead the NI milk league with a table topping price of 45.62p/l for milk collected on alternate days during June.

It is the sixth month in a row that Glanbia has topped the milk league and over the last 12 months, the company has led the table on nine occasions.

All processors increased their respective base prices for June, and there has now been a month-on-month increase in milk price going back to August 2021.

In the case of Glanbia Ireland, it raised its base by 2p/l to 40.75p/l. Factoring in a 0.4p/l sustainability bonus and 3.75p/l agri-input support payment, both of which are payable on all litres, suppliers are on a starting price of 44.9p/l.

Lower milk quality

The prices published in the June milk league are calculated at 3.94% butterfat, 3.23% protein, 4.75% lactose, 23 TBC and 206 SCC.

The figures are taken from DAERA statistics for the same month last year, and are the lowest monthly milk solids recorded throughout the whole of 2021. As butterfat and protein levels drop, milk solids have less of an impact on the final milk price.

Instead, league positions are mainly determined by the base price plus any top up payment on volume and deductions on transport.

Chasing pack

Behind Glanbia, just 0.67p/l separates the processors from second to fifth, with no positional changes from the previous milk league.

This means for the third month in a row, Aurivo is the closest competitor to Glanbia, paying 44.78p/l at the outlined milk quality. Lakeland Dairies holds on to the third place on 44.71p/l.

Dale Farm remains in fourth, although their June positon is not helped by the new butterfat and protein base levels applied by the co-op from 1 April. A base of 3.88% butterfat and 3.20% protein is only just behind the average milk quality recorded by DAERA for June.

Elsewhere, Glanbia Cheese stays in fifth, with Strathroy rounding out the table and the only processor to pay below 44p/l.

Rolling average

Glanbia Ireland paid a leading price of 45.62p/l for milk collected on alternate days in June in 2022, it’s unsurprising that it has paid the highest rolling average milk price over the 12 month period ending June 2022.

For milk collected on alternate days, Glanbia leads with 37.25p/l.

Dale Farm is second on 36.48p/l, but the gap to Aurivo in third place has narrowed.

For daily milk collections, Glanbia leads on 36.96p/l, and with no positional changes from the previous milk league, Aurivo remains in second followed by Glanbia Cheese in third.

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