While dairy commodity markets generally remain in a positive place, they have come under some price pressure in recent weeks.

With market momentum stalling and winter bonus payments to be made over the coming months, processors took a more cautious approach to base prices for September.

Only Tirlán raised its price, adding 0.25p/l, with all remaining processors holding steady, bringing the average starting price to 47.78p/l, up 0.04p/l from August.

Shown in Table B is the value of September milk produced by a 1m litre supplier across three different levels of fat and protein, as outlined in Table 1 on the opposite page.

Across all processors, high solids milk averaged 49.22p/l, up from 48.82p/l during the previous month.

For the first time in our monthly milk league analysis, a processor has paid above 50p/l.

Tirlán leads with 50.07p/l for high solids milk, gaining one place from the previous league, while Lakeland Dairies slips down to finish second on 49.81p/l.

Dale Farm climbs one spot to third, overtaking Glanbia Cheese, which slips to fourth. Aurivo and Strathroy are unchanged in fifth and sixth.

Moving to average solids milk, prices across the board average 48.55p/l, up 0.4p/l from the previous month.

Again, Tirlán retakes top spot from Lakeland thanks to higher increment payments on milk quality as well as a higher volume bonus. Dale Farm overtakes Glanbia Cheese for third, with Aurivo and Strathroy rounding out the table.

Rolling average

Tirlán continues to dominate our rolling price analysis across all three milk qualities.

For 12 consecutive months, it has now led the rolling league table for high solids milk and has topped the analysis for average solids milk going back to November 2019.

For high solids milk, Tirlán is out in front on 42.56p/l, followed by Dale Farm in second place. Lakeland moves up two places to third place, while Aurivo slips two spots to fifth.

On average solids milk, there are no positional changes from the previous league.

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