UK March milk production up 3.7% on year

UK milk deliveries reached 1,157 million litres in March, an increase of almost 4%, year-on-year, putting total production for the season at 13.339bn litres. That was 4% up on 2009-10 and the highest since 2006-07.

However, there was a marked split between GB and Northern Ireland production, says DairyCo’s latest report. “Northern Ireland saw the biggest increase, especially as its export market benefited from the high commodity prices seen in recent months – rising 9% from the 2009-10 milk year.”

GB production was up 3.2% on the year, but in March, the split was even more pronounced, with GB production up by 2.3% and NI deliveries rising by 12.9% on the year.

NI prices averaged 27.27p/litre in February, an increase of 4.7% compared to January and 17.6% more than the previous year. GB prices showed a more marginal improvement, rising by 0.8% on the month, to 25.87p/litre – 6.2% higher than in February 2010. Overall, UK farmgate prices averaged 26.08p/litre in February, 0.3p/litre up on the month and 1.88p/litre higher than a year earlier.