UK Milk Statistics

This publication, published on 29 June 2009 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority, brings together various sources of statistics relating to the production and supply of milk and milk products.

5 July 2009

2 minute read

UK wholesale milk deliveries

In May 2009, UK wholesale milk deliveries were, on average, 0.9 million litres per day lower than in May 2008 at an average of 38.7 million litres per day. The cumulative volume of UK wholesale milk deliveries in the period April 2009 to May 2009 was 2341.9 million litres, 1 per cent below the same period in 2008. The chart below illustrates the average daily UK wholesale deliveries of milk.

UK average daily wholesale milk deliveries

Source: RPA

Composition of milk in the UK

In 2008/09 the average butterfat content for the milk year was 4.06 per cent, as in 2007/08. The average protein content was 3.28 per cent in 2008/09, compared with 3.31 per cent in the previous year. The charts below illustrate the recent trends.

Average butterfat content of UK milk

Source: RPA

Average protein content of UK milk

Source: RPA, Defra

UK farm-gate milk prices

In April 2009 the average UK farm-gate price was 23.26 pence per litre, a decrease of 1.69 pence per litre on April 2008. As bonus payments are often not paid until the end of the financial year, prices including bonus payments in 2008/09 are not directly comparable with those in previous years.
The chart below illustrates the monthly UK farm-gate milk prices, excluding any bonus payments.

UK farm-gate milk prices (exc. bonus)

Sources: Defra, RERAD, DARD NI

Milk availability, use by dairies and products produced

Using the Rural Payments Agency’s wholesale delivery figures and information on imports and exports of raw milk it is possible to calculate the volume of raw milk which is available for processing by dairies within the United Kingdom. In 2008/09, 0.5 per cent of the raw milk used by UK dairies was imported and 4.3 per cent of UK produced raw milk was exported to other countries (mainly between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic).