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 December.

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.

December Milk Price Tracker

Milk prices have completely bottomed out after another month of pay cuts from processors, all of whom are now officially offering base prices that are lower than the cost of production of 37c/L.

That makes for the sixth consecutive month of dropping prices, brining the average base price for milk down to 34.3c/L.

Considering the average base price for June supplies was 48.63c/L, farmers are really beginning to feel the sting as costs remain where they are.

Three co-ops refrained from delivering further slashes to milk prices this month.

Tírlan, Centenary, and Dairygold, who were in the bottom four paying suppliers in term of base price for November, have now rocketed to the top four processors.

Meanwhile a number of co-ops hit hard again for December supplies, with cuts of over 3c/L.

Boherbue came in with a 3.19c/L reduction, Strathroy chopped 3c/L, and Kerry Dairy Ireland suppliers saw a 2.99c/L reduction.

Following two consecutive months of 4c/L cuts, Lakeland Dairies chopped a further 3c/L off its base price, meaning the processor has gone from being the top paying co-op to the bottom paying co-op in the last six months (base price).

Lisavaird, Drinagh, Bandon, and Barryroe all knocked more than 2.80c/L off their supplies.

October supplies was the first time since January 2024 where a co-op paid less than 37c/L; now every processor is offering below the 37c/L marker.

Lakeland Dairies may be offering the lowest base price of 32.75c/L, however, its bonuses top the maximum attainable price up to 39.25c/L.

The lowest maximum attainable price of offer is being offered by North Cork Creameries at 34.46c/L.

Considering some co-ops have delivered large cuts once again, it is unlikely prices will stay steady across the board again next month.

At the same time, it is hard to imagine prices dropping much further, as farmers are already producing milk below cost of production at this stage.

Cost of production is still considered to be anywhere between 37-41c/L.

Unfortunately, there is still no up-turn expected in milk prices until Q3 of 2026.

December 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 December, the following explanatory notes (all bonus and penalty payments are based on manufacturing milk) apply.

Unconditional bonuses

North Cork are paying a supplementary 0.475c/L (excl. VAT) on December supplies; 
A loyalty payment of 0.29c/L (excl. VAT) will be paid to Lakeland suppliers on all 2025 litres supplied and will be paid in January 2026;
ArraTipp pay a 1.95c/L (ex VAT) winter bonus payment, which applies to all milk volumes that meet quality criteria;
Tirlán pays an unconditioned seasonality bonus of 4.8c/L (excl. VAT) for milk supplied in December that meets quality criteria.

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 0.5c/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);
Kerry Dairy Ireland 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).