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 April.

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, which means that 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.

April Milk Price Tracker

Milk prices held relatively stable for April supplies, with no direct cuts from any processors.

In fact, five co-operatives have actually increased offers for the month.

Strathroy, Lakeland Dairies, Aurivo, ArraTipp, and Boherbue suppliers will all see marginal increases in their milk cheques.

Strathroy had the largest increase at 1c/L, bringing its base price up to 37.24c/L, while Aurivo and Lakeland Dairies have both increased offers by 0.75c/L.

ArraTipp's base price rose by 0.62c/L, and Boherbue's base price came up 0.47c/L from last month's offerings.

The Carbery Group co-ops of Lisavaird, Drinagh, Bandon, and Barryroe still lock out the top four spots in terms of base milk price.

Meanwhile Dairygold is still holding position as the co-op with the lowest offering in terms of base price.

The increased prices this month means the average base price is now sitting at 37.24c/L.

The increase comes after the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) recorded two consecutive elevations in the past month.

However, there has since been a 0.6% decrease, with an average price of €3,453/t achieved at yesterday's sale (Tuesday, June 2).

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

With peak milk production starting to fizzle off and the cost of production still in the mid-40s, farmers will be keeping an eager eye on the next few dairy trades in the hopes that a positive market may translate into farmgate prices.

This is especially the case as the financial burden being felt on farms continues to build, with contractor bills now starting to roll in.

April bonuses and penalties

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

With regard to the latest Milk Price Tracker for April, the following explanatory notes (all bonus and penalty payments are based on manufacturing milk) apply.

Unconditional bonuses

Aurivo are paying 0.95c/l (excl VAT) (plus constituents) from their stability fund on all milk supplied in April;  
Boherbue are paying a weather support of 0.95c/L (excl. VAT) for April supplies;
Carbery are paying 2c/L (excl. VAT) to the four west Cork co-ops from the stability fund. These co-ops paid this as part of their A and B price for April.

Conditional bonuses

ArraTipp pays a 0.4c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with a somatic cell count (SCC) less than 200,000 cells/ml;
ArraTipp pays a 0.712/L (excl. VAT) sustainability bonus;
Aurivo is paying a 0.75c/L (excl. VAT) future milk sustainability bonus;
Aurivo has a milk storage bonus which is available to suppliers with a minimum annual supply of 160,000L that have enough refrigerated storage capacity to cover seven milkings at peak production. The storage bonus of 0.44c/L was taken from the ‘C’ from September 2021. ‘C’ is 3.813;
Aurivo has a 0.21c/L (excl. VAT) protein bonus available for every 0.05% protein achieved, above the co-op average protein %, in an individual month;
Carbery Group pays 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 achieve an SCC of less than 200,000 cells/ml;
In September 2022, Carbery began to pay a sustainability bonus of 0.5c/L to farmers who have committed to Carbery’s futureproof programme. This is 1.25c/L for 2025 and is paid on all milk supplied by farmers who have signed a sustainability pledge and complete three actions. This is paid in January each year;
Dairygold has a maximum bonus attainable by farmers who achieve the minimum requirements for six criteria (total bacteria count (TBC); thermoduric; sediment; SCC; lactose and inhibitors). This cumulatively amounts to 0.4c/L (excl. VAT);
Dairygold has a 1.06c/L grassroots sustainability bonus payment for water quality, protected urea, soil health, education, milk recording, herd health and Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS);
Kinisla are paying a sustainability bonus of 1.35c/L (excl VAT) for a range of measures. This payment was introduced in January 2025. This includes the 0.4c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC less than 200,000 cells/ml 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 cells/ml;
North Cork pays a 0.135c/L (excl. VAT) bonus if four milk recordings are carried out in the year. It will be paid the following January;
Strathroy pays a 0.25c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC of less than 200,000 cells/ml;
Strathroy also pays a 0.25c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with a TBC of less than 10,000 cells/ml;
Strathroy pays a 0.5c/L (excl. VAT) sustainability bonus, this was introduced in January 2024;
Tirlán is paying a sustainability action payment of 0.47c/L (excl. VAT).