Barryroe Co-op in west Cork has topped the Irish Farmers Journal/KPMG annual milk price review for the second year in a row. Barryroe Co-op paid 35.29c/l excluding VAT at 3.52% protein and 4.12% fat in 2019, putting it top of the table for the annual milk review.

The west Cork domination of the annual exercise continues with the four west Cork co-ops that supply Carbery filling four of the top five positions.

Kerry paid out a 2.85c/l, excluding VAT, goodwill payment unconditionally to all its farmers in a row over “leading milk price”.

However, it still wasn’t enough to push it to the top of the table.

Lakeland Dairies brings up the rear of the table paying 31.73c/l excluding VAT for milk at 3.44% protein and 4.07% fat. The fast-growing Glanbia and Dairygold feature in sixth and seventh positions, respectively.

The annual exercise does not standardise milk supply, but instead shows the various milk prices paid at the fat and protein percentages delivered and includes all conditional bonuses related to manufacturing milk supply such as somatic cell count, TBC, quality assurance and seasonal bonuses.

Most of the milk suppliers in the west will not be able to compare what they received on a like-for-like basis as Arrabawn and Aurivo co-ops both decided not to participate in the industry study in a row over liquid milk price inclusion.