Tirlán has announced the price it will pay all suppliers for their December milk at 58.84c/l excluding VAT at 3.6% butterfat and 3.3% protein.

The price is up from the 55.05c/l paid to Tirlán suppliers for their November milk, a jump of almost 3.8c/l.

The basis of the December price increase is a seasonality payment of 4c/l, which the co-op will pay on all creamery milk volumes supplied last month that meet quality criteria.

With the inclusion of the seasonality payment, some Tirlán suppliers with high solids are likely to see their milk price near €1/l, at around the 95c/l mark.

Sustainability bonus

Like competitors, the co-op will also provide a sustainability bonus to all its farmers for all 2022 supplies at 1c/l.

Tirlán said this back payment is in recognition of the significant commitment to sustainability shown by its suppliers.

The bonus will be paid on a flat-rate basis on all litres of milk supplied to Tirlán in 2022, including contracted volumes to autumn calving and liquid milk schemes and all volumes in fixed milk price schemes.

“We recognise the significant investments in sustainability that our suppliers are undertaking on their farms.

“Today’s announcement of a sustainability bonus for all 2022 milk supplies is worth over €6,000, on average, to milk suppliers. This will be a welcome cashflow boost during a particularly high-cost spring period on farms,” Tirlán chair John Murphy said.

Markets

Announcing the December milk price, Murphy also said 2022 was a year of “historic highs” on global dairy markets.

“However, in recent months, there has been a significant reduction in market returns. The board has chosen to support the milk price at current levels since October, despite market returns continuing to weaken.

Tirlán chair John Murphy.

“The board will continue to closely monitor the negative trends in dairy markets, impacted by various factors including food price inflation, high farm input costs, rising global milk supply and environmental constraints,” he said.

Tirlán’s seasonality payments will also apply to milk supplies in January and February of 4c/l and 3c/l respectively.

These additional payments will apply to all milk supplies that meet quality criteria, excluding volumes in the liquid milk and autumn calving schemes.

Competitors

On Wednesday, Dairygold announced that it will maintain its milk price for December milk supplied at 54.5c/l, excluding VAT and based on standard constituents of 3.3% protein and 3.6% butterfat.

On Tuesday, Kerry Group announced that it will pay farmers 53.08c/l, excluding VAT, for all December milk supplied at 3.3% protein and 3.6% fat.

Elsewhere, last week Lakeland Dairies announced that its milk price will remain unchanged again for December milk supplies at 55.78c/l excluding VAT and at 3.6% fat and 3.3% protein.

Read more

Carbery latest to stay steady for December milk

Dairygold maintains price for December milk

No shift for Kerry's December milk price

Lakeland Dairies steady again for December milk