Global milk deliveries

Updated 31 October 2024

Trends in global milk supplies impact on prices. Deliveries in the six key exporting regions are tracked to provide an overview of current production levels and trends in global milk supplies.

The milk production regions included are the EU-27, UK, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Combined, they account for more than 65% of global cow's milk production and around 80% of global exports of dairy products.

• Global milk deliveries averaged 782.0 million litres per day in August, a marginal decrease of 0.4 million litres per day (-0.1%) across the selected regions, compared to the same period last year. Australia, New Zealand and the US recorded year on year volume increases, whilst Argentina and the EU declined.
• Milk deliveries in the EU averaged 376.6 million litres per day in August, a 3.6 million litre (-1.0%) reduction per day compared to the same month last year.
• Within the EU individual countries recorded mixed trends. The largest uplifts in production were seen in Poland, France and Austria, up by 37 million litres (3.5%), 14.1 million litres (0.8%) and 10.8 million litres (4.4%) respectively. Meanwhile, the steepest decline in milk volumes was seen in Italy, down 54.4 million litres (-5.4%), followed by the Netherlands which fell by 43.5 million litres (-3.9%) and Germany down by 33.3 million litres (-1.3%). Irish volumes were back by 20.3 million litres (-2.2%).
• UK daily deliveries averaged 38.4 million litres per day in August, marginally behind (-0.1%) the same month last year. Supply tightness has been translated to an increase in milk price announcements.
• The US recorded a 0.4% year on year increase in production, with volumes at 268.6 million litres per day in August. August marks the first month since June 2023 to see an increase in production, having experienced a reduction in cow numbers.
• Australian production was up by 2.9% year on year, with deliveries up 0.6 million litres per day, to sit at 22 million litres. Favourable weather is noted to have been supporting the start of the milk season.
• New Zealand deliveries were up 3.7 million litres per day (9%) on last year’s monthly figure, to average 44.4 million litres per day in August. Commentary suggests that good pasture growth supported a rise in production as New Zealand is approaches its Spring flush.
• Argentina experienced a 6.2% year on year decline in August, down 2.1 million litres per day, to sit at 32 million litres per day. Forage availability has been low, hampered by a long period of drought.

• The tracker is a baseline for comparing against actual production, not a forecast of milk production.
• The baseline is calculated using historic month-on-month movements in milk production, providing information on a typical milk year in each of the key regions.