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Base milk prices have now increased in eight of the last 10 months.
While milk quality is also rising, it is those base prices that still have the biggest bearing on the final positions in the league tables for one million-litre producers.
Shown in Table B are the August prices across three different milk qualities, with the parameters used for high, average and low solids, included in Table 1 on the opposite page.
For high solids milk, August prices across all processors averaged 42.38p/l, up 1.7p/l from the previous league.
Higher value
Despite trailing Dale Farm by 1.6p/l on base price, Tirlán narrowly leads our analysis for high solids milk with a price of 44.03p/l for alternate-day collection.
Tirlán’s position is helped by its A+B-C model, as under this system the rise in base price automatically places a greater monetary value on butterfat and protein. The co-op also pays higher premiums relating to cell counts and has no deduction for milk collection.
While Dale Farm is second, it is up from fourth last month, displacing both Strathroy and Aurivo. Lakeland remains in fifth with Leprino Foods finishing last for the second month in a row.
On average solids, prices across all processors have increased by 1.8p/l to 41.51p/l with Dale Farm rising three places to finish out in front with a price of 43.04p/l. Tirlán remains in second, with Strathroy slipping two spots to finish third.
Aurivo drops one place to fourth with no change to either the Lakeland or Leprino Foods positions.
Rolling 12 months
Rolling milk prices continue to edge upwards and for the 12-month period ending August 2024, Tirlán holds on to first place across high, average and low solids.
Dale Farm continues to sit in second for high and average solids with Aurivo ranked third and Strathroy in fourth. Leprino edges out Lakeland for fifth. For low solids milk, Strathroy is the closest competitor to Tirlán, followed by Dale Farm.
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