Domestic milk intake was estimated at 1.33 billion litres in the first quarter (Q1) of the year, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

This represents an increase of 20.4 million litres or 1.6% when compared with the corresponding value between January and March 2025.

The Q1 2026 figure is also up 6% or 75 million litres when compared with 2024.

Quarterly butter production increased by 5,400t, from 38,800t in Q1 2025 to 44,200t in Q1 2026.

CSO

The data also shows that domestic milk intake by milk processors and co-ops was estimated at 815.7 million litres in March 2026.

This total is a drop of 6.1 million litres (-0.7%) when compared with March 2025, but is up 58.6 million litres (+7.7%) when compared with the same month in 2024.

Stephanie Kelleher, statistician in the agriculture section of the CSO, said that fat content for March 2026 was 4.48%, up from 4.34% in March 2025.

She noted that protein content for March 2026 was 3.38%, unchanged from March 2025.

"Butter production rose from 24,000t in March 2025 to 27,100t in March 2026, up 3,100t," she added.

Dairy

Meanwhile in other dairy news, Ornua has confirmed an increase in its April Purchase Price Index (PPI) at 127.0, up from the previous month at 121.9.

When Ornua's estimated member co-op processing costs of 9.5c/L are taken into account, the PPI implies an indicative return of 35.5c/L, inclusive of VAT at 4.5%, for milk of 3.6% fat and 3.3% protein, which is net of Ornua costs to market.

This indicative return is up 1.3c/L from the previous month's figure of 34.2c/L.

Ornua said "the result reflects a pick-up in market returns for the month of April".