Domestic milk intake down 1.1% for March

Domestic milk intake was down 1.1% for the third month of this year, figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) have shown.

In total, domestic milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers was estimated at 613.9 million litres for March 2018 – compared to 620.9 million litres for the corresponding month in the previous year.

Total milk sold for human consumption in March of this year increased by 1.7% to 47.2 million litres, while butter production was down 5.2% to 19,250t over the same 12-month period.

This represents the first monthly decrease in domestic milk intake recorded this year. Casting your thoughts back, you will remember that the ‘Beast from the East’ and Storm Emma struck Ireland at the end of February and beginning of March.

These extreme weather events resulted in significant levels of snowfall, which disrupted milk collection services for a number of days – as farmers battled to keep roadways clear of snow.

In January and February of this year, two monthly increases in domestic milk intake of 1.5% and 2.4% were recorded, statistics from the CSO added.

Image source: CSO

If you look at the first quarter of the current year, domestic milk intake is up 2.5% – with a total of 1,068.9 million litres collected by creameries and pasteurisers.

This compares to 1,042.5 million litres over the same period last year.