Inside Milk
Dutch milk supply opens 2020 on average
Dutch dairy farms significantly increased production in January of this year compared to the first month of 2019. Nevertheless, dairy farming is almost exactly on the 5-year average.
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This is evident from the milk receipt figures that the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) published on Thursday. The milk supply in January 2020 for the Netherlands amounts to more than 1,2 million tons. This is 3,26% higher than the dairy companies collected from dairy farms in the first month of 2018. The reasons for the increase can be found, among other things, in the relatively mild winter weather and an increase in the dairy herd due to the increased milk prices.
Milked more in recent months
Although milk production starts at a significantly higher level this year, the 1,2 million tonnes is exactly on the 5-year average of the Dutch supply in January. For comparison: in January 2018, milk production was one step higher at 1,23 million tons. Last year, until August, milk production was always below the 2018 level. Only in recent months have dairy farmers been milking above that level again.
Fat production in January is also, of course, considerably higher than last year at 54.833 tons. That is 3,4% more than the same month a year earlier. Remarkably, the fat percentage is exactly the same as January 4,53 at 2018%.