Lisavaird pays best for third successive year

FOR the third successive year, Lisavaird Co-op in west Cork has topped the KPMG/Farmers’ Journal Audit, which is the best measurement available to Irish dairy farmers of the true price paid by co-ops for milk, according to IFA National Dairy Committee Chairman Michael Murphy.

Lisavaird’s milk supply of 16 million gallons comes from about 400 suppliers, and is processed at Carbery Milk Products in Ballineen, owned by the four West Cork co-ops, Bandon, Barryroe, Drinagh and Lisavaird, and which plays the major role in enabling these four to stay in the top six of the 13 participating co-ops in the KPMG/Farmers’ Journal Audit.

Lisavaird, which owns 20% of Carbery Creameries Ltd. and a 16.67% stake in Clóna Dairy Products, employs 76.

For 2004, they averaged 97.2p per gallon (123.42c), after collection charges and levies.

In order of Audit milk price, Newmarket Co-op, Co Cork paid 97.02 (123.19); Bandon Co-op paid 96.69 (122.78); Barryroe Co-op 96.69 (122.78); Wexford Farmers Co-op 95.9 (121.78); Drinagh Co-op 95.26 (120.96); Glanbia 94.62 (120.15); Kerry 94.19 (119.6); Dairygold Co-op 94.08 (119.46); Lakeland Dairies 92.22 (117.1); Arrabawn Co-op 91.9 (116.74); Town of Monaghan 91.83 (116.6); and Connacht Gold 91.54 (116.24).

Average butter fat varied by 0.11% and protein by 0.13% across the Audit.

Michael Murphy congratulated the co-ops and dairies in the Audit, and called on others, particularly Tipperary Co-op and Donegal Creameries, to take part in it next year. “An important consideration in persuading those co-ops to participate could well be the separate identification of the bonuses paid under the winter milk schemes operated by some co-ops,” said Mr Murphy.