United Kingdom milk prices and composition of milk - May 2019 statistics (published 27 June 2019)
Updated 20 February 2020
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1.1 Key messages
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This release shows the latest information on average farm-gate milk prices, volumes and the butterfat and protein content of UK produced milk.
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The UK average farm-gate milk price for May is 27.86 pence per litre (ppl). This represents a 1.4% (0.38 ppl) decrease on April 2019 and a 4.0% increase on the same month last year. (Figure 1.2).
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Butterfat is down 2.2% on last month at 3.96%. Compared to last year butterfat is 0.2% lower than May 2018. (Figures 1.3a).
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May volumes are 1,392 million litres up 3.9% on April 2019 and 1.5% higher than May 2018. (Figure 1.4).
1.2 United Kingdom farm-gate milk price (pence per litre)
1.3 Average butterfat and protein content of United Kingdom produced milk
1.3a. Butterfat %
1.3b. Protein %
1.4 United Kingdom wholesale milk production (million litres)
1.5 Percentage change in key items: May 2019 compared to May 2018
1.6 Trends
Figures 1.2 to 1.4 above show the values for the latest 12 months along with the maximum and minimum monthly values. Trends can be seen, notably the spring flush in milk production as the dairy herd diet changes when they are put out to grass in the summer. There is a strong positive correlation between milk composition (butterfat and protein content) and milk price.
1.7 Retrospective payments
Some companies make retrospective bonus payments. We do not reflect these payments in the monthly milk price figures. The annual average price for farm-gate milk in 2018, including retrospective payments, is 29.69 ppl, 0.43 ppl more than the annual average price without retrospective payments (29.26 ppl). In 2018 total retrospective payments were 2.8% higher than 2017 at £63.1 million.
A retrospective payment is when a company makes a payment to a farmer that is outside the normal contract price they receive and is generally paid on prior production, for example profit sharing.
1.8 Revisions and estimates
England and Wales survey response in May was 100%. Northern Ireland data for May 2019 is an estimate.
The next update of this monthly notice is at 09:30 on 25th July 2019.
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