Inside Milk
Dairy farmers milk less in January
Dutch dairy farmers produced almost 1,2 million tons of milk in the first month of the new year. Although it is an increase from a month earlier, it is a decrease of approximately 1,5% compared to the same month last year.
Read this article?
Become a subscriber and get instant access
Choose the subscription that suits you
Dutch dairy processors collected 1.187.954 tons of milk in January. That is an increase of 1,8% compared to a month before, because then milk production was 1,16 million tons. In January 2020, the milk supply was 1,5% higher, at 1.204.924 tons. Compared to January 2019, a small increase is visible (+1,7%), while the level of 2018 could not be kept up. Then production amounted to 1,22 million tons, a difference of 3,4%. In short: the supply figures for January show a mixed picture.
Why the milk supply is exactly lower than last year is and remains difficult to explain. One of the reasons could be the high costs that dairy farmers have to incur for, for example, feed to be. A average milk price of approximately €33,50 per 100 kilos over the month of January is also not an invitation to significantly increase production.
Less fat production, higher percentage
Dutch fat production in January amounts to 54.438 tons and the fat percentage is 4,58%. Compared to January last year, a negative difference is visible in the fat production, while the percentage is actually higher this year: 54.362 tons versus 4,53%. In December 2020, the fat production was 53.299 tons.