Butter production in Ireland for July 2015 was up 20.8% year-on-year, the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.

Comparing the July 2015 milk produce figures with those for July 2014 shows that in July last year Ireland produced 20,300t of butter, which jumped to 24,500t in July 2015.

Last year a total of 166,400t of butter was produced in Ireland and already this year some 120,900t has been produced.

From January to July in 2014 some 103,900t was produced, so Ireland is on track to exceed last year’s target again.

Butter production hit 25,000t in June of this year, the highest value in over 30 months, the figures show.

Private Storage Aid (PSA) scheme

The quantity of Irish butter offered to the EU’s Private Storage Aid (PSA) scheme broke the 20,000t mark recently, according to latest figures from the Milk Market Observatory.

Ireland’s use of the scheme for butter has increased significantly since May coinciding with a sharp down turn in international dairy markets over the summer.

Ireland added an additional 500t of butter to its stock in the scheme three weeks ago taking its total offered to date to 20,492t. Ireland has the second highest level of stock in private storage behind the Netherlands.

Ireland also has a significant quantity of skimmed milk powder (SMP) in the EU’s PSA scheme. Ireland has at present offered over 6,500t of SMP stock to the measure with an additional 250t added three weeks ago.