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For more information on this release:
E-mail: agri@cso.ie Carmel Hinchion (+353) 21 453 5272 Sophie Emerson (+353) 21 453 5453 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 2021

2020 2021 % change
million litres  
Domestic Milk Intake176.2177.61.0%
Whole Milk Sales26.1 26.7 2.3%

Domestic Milk Intake up by 1% in January 2021

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Domestic milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers was estimated at 177.6 million litres for January 2021. This represents an 1% increase over January 2020. See figure 1.

Comparing the January 2021 milk produce figures with those for January 2020 shows that:

  • Total milk sold for human consumption increased by 0.5% to 43.3 million litres.
  • Whole milk sales increased by 2.3% to 26.7 million litres.

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 intake2019million175.3303.6708.7953.31072.21001.0943.2842.8721.9604.7418.1241.47,986.2
   by creameries and2020litres176.2331.7725.7982.71115.31031.0985.0867.6725.4645.6450.8255.8 ¹8292.8 ¹
   pasteurisers2021177.6          
       
    Fat content2019%4.214.324.233.943.853.923.964.164.424.744.844.584.17
 20204.314.294.273.973.873.974.044.174.434.714.854.67 ¹4.20
 20214.41            
              
   Protein content2019%3.42 3.473.323.403.443.463.463.553.793.943.853.623.54
 20203.48 3.383.293.433.463.45 3.513.573.783.993.853.67 ¹3.55
 20213.50             
              
Imported milk intake ²2019million71.371.172.056.955.560.153.3*58.9***710.6
   2020litres*************
 2021*     
        
Total milk sold for human2019million44.841.946.745.245.345.044.745.143.445.443.741.8533.2
    consumption ³2020litres43.142.545.847.147.345.747.444.441.741.138.2 ¹43.9 ¹528.1 ¹
 202143.3          
       
of which:2019million26.925.329.028.528.229.429.128.626.828.926.825.8333.1
   Whole milk sales2020litres26.125.829.132.031.630.631.528.926.726.323.7 ¹28.1 ¹340.2 ¹
 202126.7          
      .. 
    Skimmed & semi-2019million17.916.617.716.817.215.615.716.616.716.516.916.1200.1
    skimmed milk sales2020litres17.016.716.715.215.715.115.915.415.014.814.5 ¹15.9 ¹187.9 ¹
 202116.6          
       
Butter2019'0008.210.622.228.431.028.128.225.522.320.215.110.9250.8
 2020tonnes7.111.222.629.029.830.330.926.224.022.917.810.8262.6
 20216.4          
       
Skimmed milk powder2019'0005.2*5.821.424.218.419.112.39.18.6*10.2142.5
 2020tonnes4.93.27.218.924.620.120.317.913.0 ⁴***141.6 ⁴
 2021*      
       
Cheese 2017'0003.210.126.327.028.932.726.328.831.122.516.36.0259.4
 2018tonnes3.511.625.425.630.732.926.629.931.027.120.05.2269.4
 20193.69.225.027.731.733.328.631.432.226.823.55.4278.4
               
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.
4 Provisional
Table 2 EU Milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers‘000 tonnes
CountryJan - Nov 19Jan - Nov 20% change
European Union 1131,321133,0501.3
   Austria2,8802,8830.1
   Belgium3,9284065 23.5
   Bulgaria6096425.4
   Croatia401399-0.5
   Cyprus21724814.2
   Czech Republic2,8132,9334.3
   Denmark5,1495,1930.9
   Estonia6997233.4
   Finland2,1342,1691.6
   France22430 322593 30.7
   Germany29,75129,8880.5
   Greece5745974.0
   Hungary1,4401,4822.9
   Ireland7,9758,2763.8
   Italy10963 310840 3-1.1
   Latvia724 3728 30.5
   Lithuania1,2531,2560.2
   Luxembourg3743996.7
   Malta38392.8
   Netherlands12,63112,7931.3
   Poland11,17011,4412.4
   Portugal1,7361,7641.6
   Romania1038 31049 31.1
   Slovakia7477662.6
   Slovenia5175322.9
   Spain6650 36816 32.5
   Sweden2,4782,5372.4
    
  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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