UK dairy farmers continue to expand milk production in 2019 despite the uncertainties overhanging the future of UK agriculture due to Brexit. For September, milk production from UK dairy farms totalled just under 1.2bn litres, which was 2.5% ahead of the same month last year. This brings UK milk production for the first nine months of 2019 (Jan-Sept) to a cumulative 11.4bn litres, which is almost 3% ahead of the same period last year.

However, it’s important to note that the UK endured the same drought that hit Ireland last year which negatively affected milk production in the summer months of 2018.

Polish expansion

In Poland, milk production also continues to expand but the pace of growth is starting to slow. For September, Polish milk production stood at 940m litres, which is 0.8% ahead of the same month last year. In the opening months of 2019, Polish milk production was expanding at between 3% and 5% every month but the pace of growth has stalled since we entered the second half of the year.

Australian decline

Meanwhile in Australia, milk production continues its sharp decline. For September, milk collections from Australian dairy farms stood at 857m litres, which is almost 5% down on the same month last year. For the opening three months (July-Sept) of the 2019/20 milking season in Australia, milk production is down 6% year-on-year at 2.15bn litres.