After a strong start to the 2020/21 milking season, New Zealand milk production fell sharply for the month of November. New figures released this week by the New Zealand dairy industry (DCANZ) show November milk supply in the island nation stood at just over 2.8bn litres, which was down almost 3% on the same month last year.

The drop in November supply brings New Zealand milk production for the first half of its 2020/21 milking season to a cumulative 10.5bn litres, which is 0.8%, or 83m litres, ahead of the same period last year.

Remember, the milking season in New Zealand runs opposite to European production rhythms as New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere. October and November are the months of peak milk supply in New Zealand. As we enter the new year, milk production in New Zealand will begin to slow down just as European milk production gets going.

The weakness in New Zealand milk supply during its peak time of the year should help support dairy market sentiment, as New Zealand is the world’s largest dairy exporter.