The latest Milk Price Tracker - brought to you by Agriland and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) - details milk prices from the most significant Irish dairy co-ops for the month of August.

The co-ops within the Milk Price Tracker are ranked from highest to lowest price for base milk price only.

It is important to note that the cent-per-litre (c/L) milk prices shown in the table below are calculated using the widely accepted milk pricing system.

The conversion factor used is 1.03, which means that 1L of milk corresponds to 1.03kg of milk.

It is Agriland and ICMSA policy not to include support payments, bonuses, or additional payments in the calculation of the base milk price.

August Milk Price Tracker

Once again, a handful of co-ops have slightly increased their offerings for August supplies.

Six out of the 14 major co-ops lifted prices for the month, while the further eight offered the same price as July.

The co-ops which raised offerings included: North Cork, Lakeland Dairies, Kinisla, Aurivo, Dairygold, and Boherbue.

The largest increase came from North Cork, which is now offering a base price of 38.57c/L after a 1c/L jump in its base price.

Lakeland Dairies increased its base price by 0.60c/L for the month to 38.60c/L.

Meanwhile, Kinisla, Aurivo, and Dairygold all raised prices by 0.50c/L, as Boherbue raised its price by 0.25c/L.

The increases saw Kinisla and North Cork jump above Centenary and Tírlan, while Dairygold leap-frogged ArraTipp, who now sits at the bottom of the table with a base price of 37.33c/L.

Carbery's four west Co. Cork co-ops of Lisavaird, Drinagh, Bandon, and Barryroe remain on top, and have now being paying the leading base prices for eight consecutive months.

These four co-ops are now paying an average base price of 40.01c/L.

The increased prices for the month saw the average base price paid across the board climb to 38.75c/L, a 0.24c/L increase from July.

In terms of the global market, the Global Dairy Trade (GDT), the index is back on the rise after a fall in mid-September.

The index figure has now climbed back up to 1,177, as product sold during the event for an average price of €3,509/t.

Ornua has confirmed another consecutive increase in its Purchase Price Index (PPI), with the figure now standing at 135.8 for the month of September, up from 130.4 in August.

With trade holding relatively stable on a global front, and milk intake down on a domestic level, farmers will be hoping offerings continue to rise as solids pour for September and October cheques.

August bonuses and penalties

Further details of bonuses and penalties for the Milk Price Tracker can be found by clicking here.

With regard to the latest Milk Price Tracker for July, the following explanatory notes (all bonus and penalty payments are based on manufacturing milk) apply.

Unconditional bonuses

Aurivo are paying 0.71c/L (excl VAT) (plus constituents) from their stability fund on all milk supplied in August.  
Carbery are paying 0.95c/L (excl. VAT) to the four west Cork co-ops from the stability fund and a fodder support. These co-ops paid this as part of their A and B price.
Tirlán are paying 0.95c/L (excl. VAT) as a fodder support payment on August milk.

Conditional bonuses

ArraTipp pays a 0.4c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with a somatic cell count (SCC) less than 200,000 cells/ml;
ArraTipp pays a 0.712/L (excl. VAT) sustainability bonus;
Aurivo is paying a 0.75c/L (excl. VAT) future milk sustainability bonus;
Aurivo has a milk storage bonus which is available to suppliers with a minimum annual supply of 160,000L that have enough refrigerated storage capacity to cover seven milkings at peak production. The storage bonus of 0.44c/L was taken from the ‘C’ from September 2021. ‘C’ is 3.813;
Aurivo has a 0.21c/L (excl. VAT) protein bonus available for every 0.05% protein achieved, above the co-op average protein %, in an individual month;
Carbery Group pays a bonus of 0.5c/L (excl. VAT) from March to October and a 0.88c/L (excl. VAT) bonus from November to February to suppliers who achieve an SCC of less than 200,000 cells/ml;
In September 2022, Carbery began to pay a sustainability bonus of 0.5c/L to farmers who have committed to Carbery’s futureproof programme. This is 1.25c/L for 2026 and is paid on all milk supplied by farmers who have signed a sustainability pledge and complete three actions. This is paid in January each year;
Dairygold has a maximum bonus attainable by farmers who achieve the minimum requirements for six criteria (total bacteria count (TBC); thermoduric; sediment; SCC; lactose and inhibitors). This cumulatively amounts to 0.4c/L (excl. VAT);
Dairygold has a 1.06c/L grassroots sustainability bonus payment for water quality, protected urea, soil health, education, milk recording, herd health and Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS);
Kinisla are paying a sustainability bonus of 1.45c/L (excl VAT) for a range of measures. This payment was introduced in January 2025 and readjusted in May 2026. This includes the 0.5c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC less than 200,000 cells/ml and 0.1c/L (excl. VAT) for SDAS;
Lakeland is paying a 0.47c/L (excl. VAT) milk sustainability bonus;
North Cork pays a 0.2c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC of less than 200,000 cells/ml;
North Cork pays a 0.135c/L (excl. VAT) bonus if four milk recordings are carried out in the year. It will be paid the following January;
Strathroy pays a 0.25c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC of less than 200,000 cells/ml;
Strathroy also pays a 0.25c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with a TBC of less than 10,000 cells/ml;
Strathroy pays a 0.5c/L (excl. VAT) sustainability bonus, introduced in January 2024;
Tirlán is paying a sustainability action payment of 0.47c/L (excl. VAT) .