Dale Farm has announced a 0.25p/l increase to its base price for milk supplied in May, putting suppliers on a starting price of 35.8p/l.

That price includes a 0.5p/l sustainability and 0.3p/l loyalty bonus, but is before collection charges, which for the average supplier are typically around 0.25p/l.

Lakeland Dairies was the first processor in NI to set a price for May milk and decided to leave its base unchanged at 35.3p/l.

Within that is the continuation of a 0.8p/l input support payment as well as a 0.5p/l sustainability bonus.

Lakeland has now paid 35.3p/l to NI suppliers for three consecutive months.

Looking ahead, dairy commodities remain positive, mainly on the back of tight supply, with the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) milk price indicator moving to its highest level since January 2023.

Having recorded five successive price increases, the latest indicator now stands at 36.52p/l, up 1.53p/l on the previous figure published in mid-May.

Britain

There are also encouraging trends around milk pricing in Britain where processors are confirming base prices for July.

Leprino Foods will raise its base by 1.5p to 39.5p/l for July on milk delivered at 4.2% butterfat and 3.4% protein.

Adjusting fat and protein back to Leprino’s NI base levels would bring that price back to between 38p/l and 38.5p/l.

Elsewhere, Muller has followed a 0.5p/l increase for June milk with a further 1p/l for July, putting its liquid price on a 39p/l base.

Arla has increased its June price for manufacturing milk by 0.44p/l to a base of 40.89p/l, while First Milk announced a 0.8p/l increase in July to a 40.3p/l base.

Barbers Cheese will raise its July price by 1.03p/l to 41.28p/l.

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