Inside Milk
Declining milk supply increasingly visible
The noises about the declining milk supply in Europe are increasingly reflected in the statistics. Ireland is the exception to the rule and the milk increase in New Zealand is also failing.
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In December, Dutch milk processors collected 1.128.348 tons of milk. Compared to the same month in 2017, this is a decrease of 6%. In 2018, the milk supply amounted to 13,87 million tons, compared to 14,29 million tons in 2017 (-2,93%).
Decline in Germany
Milk supplies are also lower in Germany and France. German milk supplies showed a decline of 0,9% to 2,51 million tons in November. Milk supply is expected to decline further in the coming months. This is due to a smaller one dairy herd and big roughage shortages.
In France, production shrank by as much as 3,7% to 1,9 million tonnes in November. Here too, the shrinkage is a result of the dry summer. The plus that the Irish milk supply shows (+23% to 482.000 tons), is striking. Growth is expected to continue. On balance, European milk supply is leveling off.
Fewer cows in New Zealand
Into the milk supply New Zealand shows a striking movement in November. While the increase in October was still above 5%, it now amounts to 'only' 1% to 2,9 million tons. This is partly related to the shrinkage of the dairy herd (-1% to 6,4 million).
This article is part of the Milk & Feed Pro Trend Report published this week, which also focuses on the manure market, the feed market and the interest market. Click here to read the Trend Report.