It has been confirmed that the board of Arrabawn Co-operative has decided to hold its base milk price for May supplies, but support payments issued in recent months have now ceased.

Arrabawn suppliers will receive a base milk price of 31.05c/L including VAT for milk produced in the fifth month of this year.

The support payment offered in light of difficulties experienced at farm level during the spring of this year has also come to a halt.

The payment amounted to 2c/L when it was initially introduced for March milk, but it then dropped to 1c/L in the following month.

Previous announcements

Last Friday (June 15), it was revealed that Aurivo increased its base milk price for May by 0.5c/L – bringing its total to 30.5c/L including VAT. However, the seasonality payment of 0.5c/L from April does not apply.

This is the first increase in Aurivo’s base price since September 2017, according to the co-op.

Meanwhile, Kerry revealed that it will increase its base milk price for May supplies by 1c/L – meaning that suppliers will be paid 31c/L including VAT for manufacturing milk at 3.6% butterfat and 3.3% protein.

Suppliers received a base price of 30c/L for April milk, but the processor – in line with its Kerry Group contract commitment – did pay an additional 1c/L on all milk supplied during that month, excluding milk supplied under fixed-price contract.

Early last week, Glanbia Ireland (GI) announced that it will maintain its base milk price for May at 29c/L, including VAT, for manufacturing milk at 3.6% fat and 3.3% protein.

In addition, Glanbia Co-op will make a support payment to members of 1c/L including VAT for May supplies; this is down from 2c/L in the previous month.

This means that member suppliers will receive a milk price of 30c/L, including VAT, for the fifth month of this year.

Lakeland Dairies was the first processor to reveal its May milk price, announcing that it decided to hold its base milk price at 31.78c/L including VAT. The bad weather support payment of 1.5c/L from the April price has been withdrawn, however.

Suppliers in Northern Ireland will receive 26.5p/L including VAT for May milk.