Domestic milk intake to creameries and pasteurisers in 2024 amounted to 8.428 billion litres, a decrease of some 30 million litres compared to 2023.

This represents the second annual decrease in domestic milk intake since the abolition of EU milk quotas in 2015.

That is according to figures in the annual report for 2024 from the National Milk Agency, which was established by the Oireachtas to regulate the supply of milk for liquid consumption throughout the state, in accordance with the Milk (Regulation of Supply) Act, 1994.

The report also noted that the market share of domestic registered supplies in the fresh milk market has fallen from 100% in 1995 to 70% in 2024, while the market share of imports has grown from zero to 30% in the same period.

The number of milk producers in the state in 2024 was estimated as 17,000. The average annual milk supply per producer were 496,000L.

Around 95% of domestic milk supplies were utilised in the manufacture of dairy products, which were mainly for export, while 5% of supplies were processed for liquid consumption on the domestic market.

77% of the 2024 milk intake was supplied in the seven months from March to September. Milk supplies fell in every month to August, followed by a dramatic increase of 24%, or 277 million litres, in the months from October to December 2024, compared with the same period in 2023.

The domestic milk supply profile had a peak-to-trough month ratio of 7.5/1, which comprised a peak-to-trough month ratio of 9.3/1 for milk supplies from manufacturing milk producers, and of 1.9/1 for milk supplies from registered milk producers.

The number of registered milk producers with contracts decreased from 1,228 in 2022/2023 to 1,196 in 2023/2024. The amount of milk they supplied in 2023/2024 decreased by about 69 million litres to 768 million litres.

In 2024 alone, these producers supplied 771 million litres, a decrease of about 45 million litres, or 6%.

In the five prescribed winter months of October 2024 to February 2025, the total milk supplies of registered producers amounted to 262 million litres, a decrease of 5 million litres on their supplies in the same period in 2023/24.

In the months of December 2024 and January 2025, the total supplies of registered producers amounted to 103 million litres, a decrease of 3 million litres compared with the same months of 2023/24.

Last year, bulk milk imports into the state for processing by creameries and pasteurisers amounted to 829 million litres. These bulk milk imports were cross border movements of milk from Northern Ireland and were equivalent to 10% of domestic supplies, and 32% of Northern Ireland’s milk supplies, in 2024.

Bulk milk imports of 757 million litres for processing into manufactured dairy products in the state represented 91% of total milk imports.

Bulk milk imports for processing in the state for liquid consumption amounted to 72 million litres, an increase of 3 million litres on the previous year and represented 9% of total bulk milk imports.

Packaged milk imports into the state from Northern Ireland were estimated at 99 million litres in 2024, the same as in the previous year.

The milk contained in these ‘packaged milk imports’ is being substantially sourced and purchased from milk producers located in the Republic of Ireland, with these purchased milk supplies subsequently processed and packaged in Northern Ireland and returned back into the state.

Total milk imports for liquid consumption in consumer packs and in bulk for processing in the state for liquid consumption amounted to 171 million litres in 2024, an increase of 3 million litres or 2%.

The market share of domestic registered supplies in the fresh milk market has fallen from 100% in 1995 to 70% in 2024, while the market share of imports has grown from zero to 30%.

Milk supplies in Northern Ireland in 2024 amounted to 2.623 billion litres - an increase of 95 million litres, or 4%, on the previous year - and were supplied by 2,514 dairy farmers.

Over 80% of Northern Ireland’s annual milk supplies are exported as finished product or as raw milk.

In 2024, 829 million litres of raw milk, including whole milk, skimmed milk and cream, were exported by the Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland, and 94 million litres were imported by Northern Ireland.

Since 1993, annual milk supplies in Northern Ireland have increased by 1.315 billion litres, or nearly 100%, facilitated by the purchase and transfer of EU milk quotas from Britain.

The annual milk supply pattern in Northern Ireland continues to differ significantly from the Republic of Ireland. Milk supplies are available on an all-year-round basis, with a peak-to-trough month ratio in 2024 of 1.4/1, compared with 7.5/1 here.

Average annual milk supplies per supplier in Northern Ireland in 2024 were some 1 million litres, which were more than double the average annual milk supplies per supplier of 496,000 litres in the state.

The lower average milk yield per cow in the Republic of Ireland reflects the sector’s pasture based seasonal milk production system, the National Milk Agency report said.