September milk supplies levelled off following considerable increases in the first half of the year.

Milk supplies last month did not increase significantly above 2018 levels, an Irish Farmers Journal survey has shown.

Estimates from all the major processors this week show that the big players estimate their supplies to be on par, or up only slightly, on September 2018.

In the east, Glanbia reports supplies for September to be up 2% on the same month last year.

Down south, Dairygold reports its supply is up 1% on the same month last year, while Kerry reports the same volumes as September 2018. The west Cork co-ops report volumes are up by between 1% and 5%.

During the peak supply months of May, June and July, supplies were up by almost 10% month on month compared to 2018.

In the midlands and northwest, Arrabawn estimates that its September supply will be up 2% and Aurivo estimates September will be up 1% compared to the same period last year.

Lakeland estimates September supplies will be up 6% compared to September 2018.

Last year, the CSO calculated September supply at 715m litres, so the suggestion from our survey results this week is that there will be a low single digit increase on this volume.

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