The board of Aurivo co-op has today maintained a base milk price of 35.5c/L including VAT for January manufacturing milk.

The additional seasonal payment of 1c/L which was in place last month, however, has been withdrawn.

The co-operative revealed that the average price paid to Aurivo suppliers in January will be 40.4c/L including VAT, based on the average co-op solids.

January is also the first month of Aurivo’s new fixed milk price scheme, that will pay participating suppliers a base price of 33.5c/L including VAT on a percentage of their milk supply for the next three years.

Aurivo has announced that it continues to monitor market returns and notes that current returns remain significantly behind its current manufacturing milk price.

This is the third month Aurivo has held its milk price; this continues a trend, with other processors also announcing unchanged prices for January milk.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Lakeland Dairies decided to hold its base milk price for January supplies.

This means that suppliers will get a base price of 35.5c/L including VAT, with the processor having withdrawn the 1c/L butter bonus which has been paid monthly from September to December inclusive.

Kerry will hold its January milk price at 36c/L including VAT; this represents the fifth month in a row that the processor has decided to hold its milk price.

As well as this, it was announced that Kerry will pay a top-up of 0.8c/L including VAT on all milk supplied in 2017 – milk included in fixed milk price contracts will not be eligible for the top-up.

This top-up payment is being issued in order to fulfil Kerry’s milk contract commitment. Last week, Glanbia Ireland decided to hold its milk price for January supplies.

It will pay its suppliers 35c/L including VAT for January manufacturing milk supplies at 3.6% butterfat and 3.3% protein.