Domestic milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers has risen considerably in the month of November, according to the latest figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Domestic intake was estimated at 469.0 million litres for November 2018. This was 23.1% above the corresponding 2017 figure, according to the office.

Comparing the November 2018 milk produce figures with those for November 2017 shows that:
  • Total milk sold for human consumption decreased by 1.2% to 43.7 million litres;
  • Butter production was up 12.2% to 17,900t.

Imported milk intake for November came to a total of 57.5 million litres; down slightly from the 58.8 million litres recorded for the same period in 2017.

Of the milk sold for human consumption in November, 26.3 million litres was sold in whole milk sales, 17.4 million litres in skimmed and semi-skimmed milk, 17,900t in butter and 6,700t was shifted in skimmed milk powder.

2018 domestic intake

The total domestic intake by creameries and pasteurisers for 2018 up to November amounted to some 7,332.3 million litres, up some 3.9% on the 7,057.1 million litres produced over the same timeframe in 2017.

The domestic intake for the 11 months in 2018 was also greater than the amount taken in for the full year of 2017, which came to 7,262.5 million litres, the CSO figures show.

The 2017 figure in turn was substantially larger than the 6,653.9 million litres accepted in 2016, an increase of some 9.15%.

The information used to compile this release was collected under EU Directive 96/16/EC.