Milk production in Germany and France, the two largest dairy producers in Europe, has continued its sluggish start to 2019. Data released this week by Eurostat shows milk production in both countries was down for the month of February.

In Germany, the largest milk-producing state in the EU, February milk production came in at 2.5bn litres, which is slightly lower (-0.1%) than the same month last year. For January, German milk production was down almost 1.5% year on year at 2.66bn litres. This means German milk production for the opening two months of 2019 stands at 5.1bn litres, which is 1.2% behind last year.

In neighbouring France, which is Europe’s second-largest dairy producer, February milk production was down 2.5% year on year at 1.9bn litres. January milk production in France was down almost 3% year on year at 2.1bn litres.

This means cumulative milk production in France for the first two months of 2019 stands at just under 4bn litres, which is almost 3% behind the same period last year.

Contrast

In Poland, another large milk producer in Europe, the situation couldn’t be more different. January milk production in Poland increased more than 3% year on year to 990m litres, while February production is up 4% year on year at 915m litres.

Total milk production in Poland for the first two months of 2019 stands at 1.9bn litres, which is 3.6% ahead of last year.

Meanwhile in Ireland, January milk production was up 5% year on year at 170m litres, while February milk collections were up 2.5% on last year at 300m litres.

It’s still very early days in the Irish milk production cycle but with milk collections for the opening two months of the year up more than 3% on last year at 470m litres it suggests Ireland is on track for another record breaking year of milk supplies.