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For more information on this release:
E-mail: agri@cso.ie Carmel Hinchion (+353) 21 453 5272 Sheila Boland (+353) 21 453 5221 Barry O'Reilly (+353) 21 453 5359
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-566X
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Milk Statistics

January 2020

 Jan 2019 Jan 2020 % change  
   million litres    
 Domestic Milk Intake175.3 167.7 -4.4%  
 Whole Milk Sales26.9 25.7 -4.6%  

Domestic Milk Intake is down by 4.4% in January 2020

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Domestic milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers was estimated at 167.7 million litres for January 2020. This was 4.4% below the corresponding 2019 figure. See graph opposite.

Comparing the January 2020 milk produce figures with those for January 2019 shows that:

  • Total milk sold for human consumption decreased by 4.0% to 43.0 million litres.
  • Butter production was down 10.4% to 7,330 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 intake2018million161.8294.2627.5823.1993.1924.7853.4823.8721.8642.0461.2258.57585.0
   by creameries and2019litres175.3303.6708.7953.31072.21001.0943.2842.8721.9604.7419.1243.7 17989.4 1
   pasteurisers2020167.7          
       
    Fat content2018%4.234.254.234.053.813.823.914.124.354.534.744.584.14
 20194.214.324.233.943.853.923.964.164.424.744.844.58 14.17
 20204.28            
       
Imported milk intake ²2018million70.767.5****70.163.758.662.962.471.1810.9
   2019litres71.371.172.056.955.560.153.3*58.9***710.6 1
 2020*          
        
Total milk sold for human2018million45.443.346.844.447.043.943.544.943.845.244.644.1536.7
    consumption ³2019litres44.841.946.745.245.345.044.745.143.445.443.7 142.1 1533.5 1
 202043.0          
       
of which:2018million27.726.628.527.229.126.826.627.326.427.327.227.0327.8
   Whole milk sales2019litres26.925.329.028.528.229.429.128.626.828.926.8 125.8 1333.1 1
 202025.7          
      .. 
    Skimmed & semi-2018million17.716.818.217.217.917.016.917.617.417.917.317.1208.9
    skimmed milk sales2019litres17.916.617.716.817.215.615.716.616.716.516.9 116.3200.3 1
 2020 17.4          
       
Butter2018'0008.99.520.223.727.525.623.424.622.520.317.913.9237.8
 2019tonnes8.210.622.228.431.028.128.225.522.320.215.011.2251.1
 20207.3          
       
Skimmed milk powder2018'000**7.110.120.418.613.113.611.510.111.711.3133.8
 2019tonnes5.2*5.821.424.218.419.112.39.18.6*10.2142.5
 2020 *      
       
Cheese 2017'0002.88.120.320.421.924.420.421.023.316.312.35.0196.2
 2018tonnes3.18.621.521.825.227.522.424.826.922.415.34.6224.1
              
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 - Dec 18Jan - Dec 19% change
European Union 1157,383158,2230.5
   Austria3,1833,140-1.4
   Belgium4,1794289 22.6
   Bulgaria6496591.5
   Croatia453436-3.9
   Cyprus2282394.7
   Czech Republic3,0333,0741.3
   Denmark5,6155,6150.0
   Estonia7487632.0
   Finland2,3542,330-1.0
   France24543 324499 3-0.2
   Germany32,49132,442-0.1
   Greece6206311.8
   Hungary1,5351,5682.1
   Ireland7,8108,2275.3
   Italy12071 311965 3-0.9
   Latvia781785 30.6
   Lithuania1,3671,358-0.6
   Luxembourg3954093.7
   Malta40422.7
   Netherlands13,88113,788-0.7
   Poland11,94612,1751.9
   Portugal1,8941,892-0.1
   Romania1109 31122 31.2
   Slovakia818815-0.4
   Slovenia571564-1.2
   Spain7121 37265 32.0
   Sweden2,7602,704-2.0
   United Kingdom15,18815,4281.6
    
  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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