Milk Price Tracker: Majority of co-ops drop price for March
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 March.
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.
Milk Price Tracker
The majority of co-operatives have decided to drop their milk price by 1c/L or marginally more for March supplies despite the strong demand across Europe for milk due to poor supply.
Various co-operatives have described the drop in milk price as a 're-alignment' or 'adjustment' to reflect market returns and performance.
However there has also been speculation about whether the co-ops decisions have been influenced by the potential impact that US tariffs could have on the dairy industry.
The west Cork co-ops still lead the milk price tracker despite a drop of over 1c/L for each of the four co-ops, with Lisavaird leading the way with a base milk price of 50.33c/L.
The milk prices in the table are those quoted by co-ops for the month of March in 2025.
Strathroy jumped a few places for the March Milk Price Tracker as it maintained its price for March while Kerry Dairy Ireland, Tirlán and Centenery, and Boherbue all decreased their price by 1c/L.
The bottom five remain the same as they all maintained their base price for the month of March.
March 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 March the following explanatory notes (all bonus and penalty payments are based on manufacturing milk) apply.
Unconditional bonuses
North Cork pays a milk supplementary payment of 1.47c/L (excl. VAT) on March supplies.
Conditional bonuses
Arrabawn/Tipperary pays a 0.4c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with a somatic cell count (SCC) less than 200,000 cells/ml;
pays a 0.4c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with a somatic cell count (SCC) less than 200,000 cells/ml; Arrabawn/Tipperary pays a 0.712/L (excl. VAT) sustainability bonus;
pays a 0.712/L (excl. VAT) sustainability bonus; Aurivo is paying a 0.5c/L (excl. VAT) future milk sustainability bonus;
is paying a 0.5c/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;
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;
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;
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 1c/L for 2025 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;
began to pay a sustainability bonus of 0.5c/L to farmers who have committed to Carbery's futureproof programme. This is 1c/L for 2025 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);
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);
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); Kerry Dairy Ireland is paying a sustainability bonus of 1.35c/L (excl. VAT) for a range of measures. This payment was introduced in January 2025. This includes the 0.4c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC less than 200,000 cells/ml and 0.1c/L (excl. VAT) for SDAS;
is paying a sustainability bonus of 1.35c/L (excl. VAT) for a range of measures. This payment was introduced in January 2025. This includes the 0.4c/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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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, this was introduced in January 2024;
pays a 0.5c/L (excl. VAT) sustainability bonus, this was introduced in January 2024; Tirlán is paying a sustainability action payment of 0.47c/L (excl. VAT) for March.
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