Across our main analysis of prices paid to 1m litre suppliers in NI, it is Tirlán / Fivemiletown that remains out in front.

March prices shown in Table B are calculated at the three milk qualities outlined in Table 1 on the opposite page.

For average quality milk, Tirlán is the only processor to pay over 45p/l. Aurivo is up to second, with Dale Farm slipping back to third. The remaining three processors all paid prices below 44p/l.

The placings are similar in the analysis of prices for high quality milk, with the only change seeing Lakeland move ahead of Leprino for fourth place. That is mainly due to the A+B-C payment model used by Lakeland, which better rewards farmers who produce good milk solids. The Tirlán price is calculated using a similar A+B-C payment model.

However, as solids move closer to base levels, it is the starting price for milk that becomes the main determinant of the final price paid. With the highest starting price, Aurivo leads in prices paid for low quality milk, with Tirlán in second and Lakeland dropping to bottom of this analysis.

Rolling average

Shown in Table C are the rolling prices paid to a 1m litre supplier over the last 12 months across, high, average and low solids milk.

Tirlán remains out in front across all three milk qualities. For average quality milk, Dale Farm has closed the gap from 1.39p/l to 0.65p/l, mainly thanks to its 0.5p/l 13th payment on all milk supplied since April 2024. Aurivo drops to third, with Lakeland down one place to fourth. The difference between top and bottom in our analysis of rolling 12-month prices for average quality milk is just over 2p/l.