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International comparison:
Eurostat
For more information on this release:
E-mail: agri@cso.ie Eamonn Dorney (+353) 21 453 5367 Kevin Sheppard (+353) 21 453 5517 Avril Grace (+353) 21 453 5510
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-566X
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Milk Statistics

December 2018

Domestic Milk Intake
2017 2018 % change
million litres  
December205.5253.123.2%
January-December7,262.5 7,576.1 4.3%

Domestic Milk Intake is up by 23.2 % in December 2018

Figure 1
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Domestic milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers was estimated at 253.1 million litres for December 2018. This was 23.2 % above the corresponding 2017 figure. See graph opposite.

Comparing the December 2018 milk produce figures with those for December 2017 shows that:

  • Total milk sold for human consumption decreased by 3.8 % to 42.7 million litres.
  • Butter production was up 16.9 % to 13,300 tonnes.

See Table 1 for more details.

The information used to compile this release was collected under EU Directive 96/16/EC.

Table 1 Milk Statistics
CategoryYearUnitJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Domestic milk intake2016million147.6287.1594.6760.8929.6853.2782.5699.3583.8500.1337.1178.36653.9
   by creameries and2017litres148.7272.9620.9866.3999.6917.9875.3786.6654.0534.3380.8205.57262.5
   pasteurisers2018161.8294.2627.5823.1993.1924.7853.4823.7721.8 1642.0 1457.9 1253.17576.1
       
    Fat content2016%4.174.244.154.003.813.853.934.084.334.544.684.404.10
 20174.154.224.143.903.803.863.904.084.344.584.654.574.09
 20184.234.254.234.053.813.823.914.124.354.534.744.584.14
       
Imported milk intake ²2016million78.676.084.685.794.756.448.350.856.755.959.765.7813.0
   2017litres66.161.674.672.982.378.0*61.458.855.458.8*802.7
 201870.767.5****70.161.258.6 162.9 164.4 166.8804.1
        
Total milk sold for human2016million42.541.443.943.745.443.244.745.044.444.844.044.1527.0
    consumption ³2017litres44.440.846.543.846.647.544.945.444.745.044.244.4537.9
 201845.443.346.844.447.043.943.544.743.8 145.2 143.742.7534.3
       
of which:2016million24.724.225.725.827.226.026.726.827.226.226.226.5313.1
   Whole milk sales2017litres26.224.227.726.428.730.027.127.627.127.327.027.1326.3
 201827.726.628.527.229.126.826.627.226.4 127.3 126.325.8325.6
      . 
    Skimmed & semi-2016million17.817.218.217.918.217.218.018.217.218.717.817.6213.9
    skimmed milk sales2017litres18.116.618.817.417.917.417.817.817.617.717.217.3211.6
 2018 17.716.818.217.217.917.016.917.517.4 117.9 117.416.9208.7
       
Butter2016'0005.09.320.121.724.423.220.320.318.515.212.58.3198.7
 2017tonnes5.28.520.324.228.327.023.923.318.217.315.911.4223.7
 20188.99.520.223.727.525.623.424.422.5 120.3 117.6 113.3236.9
       
Skimmed milk powder2016'0004.43.58.814.324.215.413.711.07.76.8**117.7
 2017tonnes*3.35.512.124.419.614.511.58.95.7**119.8
 2018 **7.110.120.418.613.113.611.510.1 111.7 111.3133.8
       
Cheese 2016'0002.07.417.320.424.327.122.423.321.918.616.04.2205.0
 2017tonnes2.88.120.320.421.924.420.421.023.316.312.35.0196.2
                
1 Revised.
2 Raw milk imports and imported milk for processing on contract. This does not include imported packaged milk for retail sale.
3 Does not include imported packaged milk for retail sale.
* Confidential.
Table 2 EU Milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers‘000 tonnes
CountryJan - Nov 17Jan - Nov 18% change
European Union 1143,292144,6390.9
   Austria2,9252,9270.1
   Belgium3,6803,842 24.4
   Bulgaria54860410.2
   Croatia438417-4.7
   Cyprus1972095.9
   Czech Republic2,7922,7862.1
   Denmark5,0195,1462.5
   Estonia6656853.0
   Finland2,1682,159-0.4
   France22,498 322,499 30.0
   Germany29,24029,8202.0
   Greece5645690.9
   Hungary1,4171,4210.3
   Ireland7,2677,5413.8
   Italy10,89410,942 30.4
   Latvia751720 3-4.1
   Lithuania1,2971,262-2.7
   Luxembourg3423625.9
   Malta3837-1.6
   Netherlands13,09512,751-2.6
   Poland10,68810,9592.5
   Portugal1,6991,7171.0
   Romania9501,025 37.9
   Slovakia758752-0.8
   Slovenia531525-1.1
   Spain6,425 36,524 31.5
   Sweden2,5812,525-2.2
   United Kingdom13,89013,9140.2
    
  Source: New Cronos database, Eurostat (except Ireland and European Union total, CSO).
1 Figures for EU include provisional France, Latvia, Spain, Romania and Italy figures.
2 Estimate.
3 Provisional.

Background Notes

Coverage

The monthly milk and milk products inquiry is a census of all creameries and pasteurisers.

Milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers

Whole milk purchased by creameries and pasteurisers from domestic producers through collection depots and separating stations including whole milk obtained from herds owned by the creameries and pasteurisers.  The fat content of the whole milk is also collected.  To convert milk intake from million litres to ‘000 tonnes use the following formula:

                1 tonne liquid milk = 971.164 litres.

Skimmed milk

Milk with less than or equal to 0.3% fat content.

Semi-skimmed milk

Milk with between 1.5% and 1.8% fat content.

Skimmed milk powder

Milk powder with not more than 1.5% milk fat content.

Cheese

The cheese figures are not adjusted to a calendar month basis.

Imported Milk Intake

Raw milk imports and imported milk for processing on contract. This does not include milk already packaged for retail sale.

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