29-04-2025
Which county got biggest share of 2024 Tirlán milk payments?
Kilkenny-headquartered co-op, Tirlán today (Tuesday, April 29) confirmed that milk payments to its 4,051 dairy farmers totaled €1.56 billion in 2024.
According to the co-op milk payments last year were a 'huge driver of the rural economy' and helped to support 19,200 jobs.
Tirlán today published its 2024 annual report which revealed milk payments by county and topping the poll were dairy farmers in Co. Kilkenny who received the lion's share of payments totaling €263 million.
Dairy farmers in Co. Waterford were second on the list of Tirlán' s league table of milk payments as they received payments amounting to €237 million last year while farmers in Co. Tipperary were third on the list with payments of €206 million.
Meanwhile dairy farmers in Co. Monaghan were at the bottom of the 2024 Tirlán milk payments table as they received a total of€4 million.
Source: Tirlán
The latest annual report also highlights the volume of milk supplies collected by Tirlán in Northern Ireland during 2024, according to its latest annual report milk payment to farmers in Northern Ireland totaled £61 million last year.
Tirlán milk suppliers
In its latest annual report Tirlán states it is 'Ireland's largest milk processor with 3.028 billion milk pool' and highlighted that last year it returned an average milk price of 52c/L.
This compares to the average price paid for milk in 2023 by Tirlan to its milk suppliers which was 44c/L, that had been significantly down on the average price in 2022 of 63c/L.
Although the co-op said that milk supply 'made a strong recovery in the later months of 2024 to finish the year' overall it was approximately '1% back on 2024 volumes'.
In 2023 the co-op's milk pool decreased by 3% to 3.1 billion litres.
Tirlán's chief executive, Seán Molloy, today warned that 2025 'is vital for the agricultural sector and rural economy with a decision due on Ireland's retention of the nitrates serogation'.
'We need certainty for our farmers and the retention of a fit-for-purpose derogation.
'In Ireland and in Brussels, Tirlán has continued to highlight the positive actions being taken by our members to improve water quality,' Molloy said.
He also highlighted that the co-op is 'working to assist our farmers to increase milk solids
production in a sustainable manner to drive farm income through our new milk solids growth programme. The CEO outlined that this 'will be a significant focus for the business in 2025.
Molloy said: 'As we look to the future, generational renewal is key for our co-op.
'We believe we have a strong benefits package and supports to offer new milk suppliers, with over 50 new entrants and new suppliers to Tirlán joining in 2024.'
