The latest Milk Price Tracker – brought to you by Agriland and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) – details milk prices from the most significant Irish dairy co-ops for the month of March.

The co-ops within the Milk Price Tracker are ranked from highest to lowest price for base milk price only.

It is important to note that the cent-per-litre (c/L) milk prices shown in the table below – are calculated using the widely accepted milk-pricing system.

The conversion factor used is 1.03, meaning 1L of milk corresponds to 1.03kg of milk.

It is Agriland and ICMSA policy not to include support payments, bonuses or additional payments in the calculation of the base milk price.

Milk Price Tracker

Lakeland Dairies leads the tracker for March with a base price of 41.40c/L, with Strathroy in second place with a base price of 41.26c/L.

Arrabawn is bottom of the table with a base price of 38.73c/L. The most significant movement seen this month saw Dairygold drop from the top half of the table to third from bottom for March.

The milk prices in the table are those quoted by co-ops for the month of March (2024).

March bonuses and penalties

Further details of bonuses and penalties for March’s Milk Price Tracker can be found by clicking here.

With regards to the Milk Price Tracker above, please see the following explanatory notes  (all bonus and penalty payments are based on manufacturing milk).

Unconditional bonuses

  • Arrabawn is paying a 2.86c/L (excl. VAT) winter bonus payment of which applies to all milk volumes supplied during March that meet quality criteria;
  • Aurivo is paying a 2c/l (excl. VAT) weather support on all milk supplied in March;
  • Centenary is paying a 2.8c/L (excl. VAT) weather support payment to all milk volumes supplied during March;
  • Boherbue is paying a 1.909c/L (excl. VAT) on all milk supplied in March;
  • Carbery is paying a 4.75c/L (excl. VAT) weather/hardship payment on all milk in March;
  • Carbery co-ops are paying a 0.952c/L (excl. VAT) payment from the stability fund. This is included in the protein and butterfat prices;
  • Dairygold is paying a 1c/L (incl. VAT) early calving bonus for March;
  • Dairygold has a 1.9c/L (excl. VAT) weather/fodder relief payment to all milk volumes supplied during March;
  • Kerry is paying 1.909c/L (excl. VAT) milk contract payment on March milk. This is included in the protein and butterfat prices;
  • Lakeland is paying a 0.9c/L (excl. VAT) input support payment on all milk supplied in March;
  • Tipperary is paying a 2c/L (excl. VAT) input support payment on all milk supplied in March;
  • Tirlán is paying a 2.8c/L (excl. VAT) weather support payment on milk volumes supplied during March.

Conditional bonuses

  • Arrabawn paid a 0.2c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with a somatic cell count (SCC) fewer than 200,000 cells/ml;
  • Aurivo is paying a 0.5c/L (excl. VAT) future milk sustainability bonus;
  • Aurivo has a 0.21c/L (excl. VAT) protein bonus available for every 0.05% protein achieved, above the co-op average protein percentage in an individual month;
  • Carbery Group paid a bonus of 0.5c/L (excl. VAT) from March to October and a 0.88c/L (excl. VAT) bonus from November to February to suppliers who achieved an SCC of less than 200,000 cells/ml;
  • In September 2022, Carbery began to pay out a sustainability bonus of 0.5c/L to farmers who have committed to Carbery’s FutureProof programme. The is 1c/L for 2024 and is paid on all milk supplied by farmers who have signed a sustainability pledge and complete three actions;
  • Dairygold has a maximum bonus attainable by farmers who achieve the minimum requirements for six criteria (TBC, thermoduric, sediment, SCC, lactose and inhibitors). This cumulatively amounts to 0.4c/L (excl. VAT);
  • Dairygold has a 0.75c/L Grassroots Sustainability Bonus payment for water quality, protected urea, soil health, education, milk recording, herd health and Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS);
  • Kerry pays 0.4c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC less than 200,000 and 0.1c/L (excl. VAT) for SDAS;
  • Lakeland is paying a 0.47c/L (excl. VAT) milk sustainability bonus;
  • North Cork pays a 0.2c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC of less than 200,000;
  • North Cork pays 0.135c/L (excl. VAT) bonus if four milk recordings are carried out in the year, it will be paid the following January;
  • Strathroy paid a 0.25c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC of less than 200,000cells/ml;
  • Strathroy also pays 0.25c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an TBC of less than 10,000cells/ml;
  • Tipperary pays a bonus of 0.25c/L (excl. VAT) on all milk with an SCC less than 250,000cells/ml;
  • Tirlán is paying a sustainability action payment of 0.47c/L (excl. VAT) for March.
DAIRY MILK PRICE MILK PRICE TRACKER