Inside Milk
British and Irish slow down milk production
Dairy farmers in the United Kingdom and Ireland produced less milk in August than in previous months. This ensures that the milk supply is moving closer to last year and the 5-year average, according to figures from the European Commission.
Read this article?
Become a subscriber and get instant access
Choose the subscription that suits you
UK dairy farmers produced 1,24 million tonnes of milk in August. That is approximately 1,5% more than last year, when milk production in August amounted to 1,23 million tons. Towards last month a decrease of approximately 4,5% is visible, although the milk supply always decreases during this period of the year.
If we compare the milk supply in August with the 5-year average, it is visible that British dairy farmers have produced 1,6% more milk this year. It is expected that milk supplies will continue to decline until at least September, after which an increase may be possible.
Ireland is also reducing production
Dairy farmers in Ireland also reduced milk production somewhat in August. They produced 866.890 tons of milk in that month, which is only 2% more than in the same month last year. In the preceding months, milk supply was on average 10% above last year's level. Towards last month a decrease of 10,5% is visible.
Milk supply in Ireland, on the other hand, is still about 10% above the 5-year average, which amounts to 791.910 tonnes of milk. When we look at the seasonal trend, we can see that the milk supply will continue to decline at least until the end of the year. This could still change, given the Brexit deadline is the end of October.