United Kingdom milk prices and composition of milk – statistics notice (data for October 2024)
Updated 28 November 2024
© Crown copyright 2024
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1.1 Key messages
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This release shows the latest information on average farm-gate milk prices, volumes and the butterfat and protein content of UK produced milk.
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The UK average farm-gate milk price for October 2024 is 45.17 pence per litre (ppl). This represents a 4.6% (2 ppl) increase on September 2024 and a 22% increase on October 2023. figure 1.2
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Butterfat increased 2% from last month at 4.4%. Compared to last year, butterfat is 2.4% higher than October 2023. figure 1.3a
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Protein decreased 0.8% from last month at 3.47%. Compared to last year, protein is 0.9% higher than October 2023. figure 1.3b.
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Milk volumes in October 2024 were 1217 million litres, they have increased 5.7% on September 2024 and increased 2.8% on May 2023. figure 1.4.
1.2 United Kingdom farm-gate milk price (pence per litre)
1.3 Average butterfat and protein content of United Kingdom produced milk
1.3a. Butterfat %
1.3b. Protein %
1.4 United Kingdom wholesale milk production (million litres)
1.5 Percentage change in key items: October 2024 compared to October 2023
| Item | Percentage change |
|---|---|
| Milk price | 21.8 |
| Milk volume | 2.8 |
| Butterfat | 2.4 |
| Protein | -0.9 |
1.6 Trends
Figures 1.2 to 1.4 above show the values for the latest 12 months along with the five year average, maximum and minimum monthly values.
1.7 Retrospective payments
Some companies make retrospective bonus payments. We do not reflect these payments in the monthly milk price figures. For example, the annual average price for farm-gate milk in 2019, including retrospective payments, is 29.10 ppl, 0.23 ppl more than the annual average price without retrospective payments (28.87 ppl). In 2019 total retrospective payments were 2.0% lower than 2018 at £34.7 million.
A retrospective payment is when a company makes a payment to a farmer that is outside the normal contract price they receive and is generally paid on prior production, for example profit sharing.
1.8 Revisions and estimates
England and Wales survey response in October 2024 was 96%.
1.9 Accredited official status
Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. An explanation can be found on the Office for Statistics Regulation website.
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.
These accredited official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in 2014. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘accredited official statistics’.
You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards (see contact details below). Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.
The next update of this monthly notice is at 09:30 on Thursday, 09 January 2025.
Enquiries to: Julie Rumsey, Tel: +44 (0) 208 026 6306
email: julie.rumsey@defra.gov.uk
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