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International comparison:
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For more information on this release:
E-mail: agri@cso.ie Eamonn Dorney (+353) 21 453 5367 Kevin Sheppard (+353) 21 453 5517 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

February 2019

Domestic Milk Intake
2018 2019 % change
million litres  
February294.2301.62.5%
January-February456.0 470.6 3.2%

Domestic Milk Intake is up by 2.5 % in February 2019

Figure 1
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Domestic milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers was estimated at 301.6 million litres for February 2019. This was 2.5 % above the corresponding 2018 figure. See graph opposite.

Comparing the February 2019 milk produce figures with those for February 2018 shows that:

  • Total milk sold for human consumption decreased by 3.0 % to 42.0 million litres.
  • Butter production was up 1.3 % to 9,570 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 intake2017million148.7272.9620.9866.3999.6917.9875.3786.6654.0534.3380.8205.57262.5
   by creameries and2018litres161.8294.2627.5823.1993.1924.7853.4823.8721.8642.0461.2 1258.5 17585.0 1
   pasteurisers2019169.0 1301.6
       
    Fat content2017%4.154.224.143.903.803.863.904.084.344.584.654.574.09
 20184.234.254.234.053.813.823.914.124.354.534.744.584.14
 20194.21 14.28
       
Imported milk intake ²2017million66.161.674.672.982.378.0*61.458.855.458.8*802.7
   2018litres70.767.5****70.163.758.662.962.471.1810.9
 201969.8 168.1
        
Total milk sold for human2017million44.440.846.543.846.647.544.945.444.745.044.244.4537.9
    consumption ³2018litres45.443.346.844.447.043.943.544.943.845.244.6 144.1 1536.7 1
 201944.8 142.0
       
of which:2017million26.224.227.726.428.730.027.127.627.127.327.027.1326.3
   Whole milk sales2018litres27.726.628.527.229.126.826.627.326.427.327.2 127.0 1327.8 1
 201926.9 125.2
      . 
    Skimmed & semi-2017million18.116.618.817.417.917.417.817.817.617.717.217.3211.6
    skimmed milk sales2018litres17.716.818.217.217.917.016.917.617.417.917.3 117.1 1208.9 1
 2019 17.9 116.8
       
Butter2017'0005.28.520.324.228.327.023.923.318.217.315.911.4223.7
 2018tonnes8.99.520.223.727.525.623.424.622.520.317.9 113.9 1237.8 1
 20198.2 19.6
       
Skimmed milk powder2017'000*3.35.512.124.419.614.511.58.95.7**119.8
 2018tonnes**7.110.120.418.613.113.611.510.111.711.3133.8
 2019 5.2*
       
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 - Dec 17Jan - Dec 18% change
European Union 1156,002157,2820.8
   Austria3,2003,183-0.5
   Belgium4,0254,189 24.1
   Bulgaria5936499.5
   Croatia477453-4.9
   Cyprus2162285.6
   Czech Republic2,9793,0331.8
   Denmark5,4795,6152.5
   Estonia7277482.9
   Finland2,3662,354-0.5
   France24,630 324,586 3-0.2
   Germany31,93732,4861.7
   Greece6146201.0
   Hungary1,5451,5510.3
   Ireland7,4787,8104.4
   Italy11,90211,944 30.4
   Latvia813781 3-4.0
   Lithuania1,4031,367-2.6
   Luxembourg3743955.5
   Malta4140-1.5
   Netherlands14,29613,879-2.9
   Poland11,64711,9462.6
   Portugal1,8511,8640.7
   Romania1,0281,109 37.9
   Slovakia826818-0.9
   Slovenia579571-1.4
   Spain7,014 37,121 31.5
   Sweden2,8172,760-2.0
   United Kingdom15,14515,1810.2
    
  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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