All the big players decided to hold milk price for October in light of strengthening global markets. The two co-ops that were at the bottom of the league last month actually felt the need to lift price.

The recent supply stats show big EU players the Netherlands, France and Germany, all down in 2019 supply relative to the January to August period in 2018. Skim powder is up to almost €2,570/t, which is up 50% compared to the same period last year, while butter is at €3,600, which is down relative to 2017 and 2018, but still better than the 10-year period 2007 to 2017.

In September, Tipperary Co-op dropped milk price 0.13c/kg MS (1c/l) and now a month later for October it has lifted milk price 0.07c/kg MS (0.5c/l). It also appointed a new interim chief financial officer to the co-op.

Both Tipperary Co-op and Arrabawn Co-op were bottom of the September league. However, the boards of each of these co-ops decided to lift price for October by 0.07c/kg MS (0.5c/l). It means they bounced off the bottom and now Glanbia and Thurles once again occupy the bottom of the monthly league. Arrabawn didn’t bounce that far off the bottom and remains in Division 3 on virtually the same price as the other players in Division 3 at €3.87/kg MS, up from €3.81 last month. This €/kg milk solids figure is calculated at 3.45% protein and 4.10% fat to reflect modern day production results. At 3.6% fat and 3.3% protein excluding VAT, that’s a base price of 27.5c/l.

The west Cork co-ops, all processing milk under the Carbery banner, are top of the league paying 0.32c/kg MS (over 2.5c/l) more than the Division 3 players. In old money, at old solids (3.3% and 3.6%) that’s a price of 29.7c/l at the top versus 27.5c/l at the bottom. We calculate this figure so that we can compare base prices equally between years at the same solids.

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