The domestic milk intake by milk processors and co-ops was estimated at 327.7 million litres in February 2025, according to a new report from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

That represents a decrease of 24.1 million litres (-7%) when compared with February 2024 and down by 53.3 million litres (-14%) when compared with the same month in 2023.

The CSO noted that there were 29 days in February 2024 (leap year) compared with 28 days in February 2025.

Stephanie Kelleher, statistician in the Agriculture Section of the CSO said that the data shows that fat content for February 2025 was 4.47%, up from 4.44% in February 2024.

She said that protein content also rose from 3.43% to 3.51% in the 12 months to February 2025.

"For the period January to February 2025, domestic milk intake was estimated at 490.2 million litres, a drop of 10.1 million litres (-2%) when compared with the same period in 2024, and down by 71.2 million litres (-13%) when compared with 2023," Kelleher added.

Butter production in February 2025 stood at 8,500t, up from 8,400t in the same month last year.

The total milk sold for human consumption was 36 million litres which is slightly down on a year previously (36.4 million).

Meanwhile, the average Global Dairy Trade (GDT) price index has increased by 1.1% after the latest auction last Tuesday (April 1).

There were a total of 163 bidders in the event which saw 17,643 metric ton (mt) of product sold.

The average selling price was €3,930/mt in the auction, which lasted for more than two hours, during which there were 123 winning bidders.

The GDT Price Index now stands at 1,265 – compared to the previous index figure on March 18 of 1,251.

GDT is owned and managed as a strategic partnership between the European Energy Exchange (EEX), Fonterra Cooperative Group, and New Zealand’s Exchange (NZX).

The auction tends to be viewed as a good barometer of dairy prices and an indicator of supply and demand in the market.