Liquid milk price rises mean league table changes

Liquid milk prices are starting to return to the top of the DairyCo league table, but cheese contracts remain very competitive against non-aligned liquid contracts.

“The majority of milk buyers raised their price in March, which had an impact on the March league table,” says DairyCo’s latest report. “Thanks to their first increase for more than six months, the three main non-aligned liquid contracts from Arla, Dairy Crest and Wiseman have moved up the ranks.”

A 2p/litre increase from Arla puts its annual average non-aligned price at 26.64p/litre, just below the retailer aligned contracts. Dairy Crest and Wiseman added 1p/litre to their prices in March, with an extra 1.1p/litre and 1p/litre increase respectively for April.

The only price rise announced so far for May is Dairy Crest’s Davidstow contract, possibly due to competition in the south west with Milk Link. This will push its price up the league table, at 28.06p/litre. “It looks as though processors are pausing before deciding what to do next, echoing what is happening in the dairy commodity market.”

market report