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, 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.

March Milk Price Tracker

Milk prices slid down a steep hill for the last six months of 2025, with bases prices dropping from an average of 48.63c/L in June 2025 to an average of 34.3c/L by December 2025.

So far in 2026, those bottomed-out base prices had being holding steady, with the exception of Strathroy and Boherbue who slightly elevated milk price offerings for February supplies.

But now for March supplies, the table has turned with all co-ops increasing their base price at long last.

North Cork suppliers are set to witness the biggest change in milk cheques, as the co-op increased its base milk price by 3.50c/L, bringing them from the second lowest paying co-op in terms of base price up to the fifth highest.

Carbery Group also announced a 3c/L increase in base price which saw its four west Co. Cork co-ops of Bandon, Barryroe, Drinagh, and Lisavaird maintain the top spot in terms of base milk price paid for the third consecutive month.

Other co-ops elevated the base milk price by 1c/L for March supplies.

It must also be noted that a number of processors simultaneously removed bonuses or top-ups equal to their base price increase, ultimately meaning some suppliers will experience no change in the price paid between February and March supplies.

For instance, Kerry Dairy Ireland increased its base price by 3c/L this month, but also removed a 3c/L top-up that was paid through the A+B-C system in February, meaning their base price remained at 36.08c/L.

Similarly, Lakeland Dairies increased its base milk price by 3c/L, but with the removal of its 2c/L "input support" and 1c/L early calving bonus, prices have also effectively remained the same for March supplies.

But, at the end of the day, the overall increases have brought the average base price for the month up to 36.91c/L, a 1.62c/L increase from the average price of 35.29c/L offered in February.

Milk prices have finally gone the right direction despite the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) index having recorded its second consecutive decrease in mid-April.

Despite the slight increase, milk price is still expected to be under pressure throughout 2026, with no real upturn forecast until Q3.

Tirlán has even gone as far as committing to its current milk price right through April and May to "provide greater certainty over the peak milk production period" to its suppliers, especially considering the turmoil within the global markets stemming from the conflict in the Middle-East.

In general, farmers will be feeling deserving of the upturn in price following the recent strong financial reports from the majority of Irish co-ops.

As well as that, following a tough spring paired with increasing prices of fertiliser and fuel, cost of production will have climbed well over the 40c/L mark.

This will be creating large financial strain of farms, especially now that calf sales will be coming to an end.

March 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 March, 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 March.  
Boherbue are paying a weather support of 1.34c/L (excl. VAT) for March supplies
Carbery are paying 1.44c/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 March.

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);
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) .