US milk production for the month of March stood at 8.3bn litres, according to the USDA. Compared with the same month last year, that’s a 1.3% increase. This brings US milk production for the first quarter of 2018 (Jan to Mar) to a cumulative 23.8bn litres – up 1.5% on last year.

Milk production for March in Germany, Europe’s largest dairy producer, stood at 2.7bn litres, a 1.5% increase compared with the same month last year. In France, the second-largest producer, March milk collections stood at 2.1bn litres, which was flat compared with last year.

Brazilian beef exports fell sharply in April due to reduced demand from China and Hong Kong. Brazilian beef exports for April stood at 86,500t, almost 50,000t lower than the previous month. Exports to China and Hong Kong stood at 28,500t, almost half the volume shipped in March.

Australian beef exports for April increased by almost one third (+32%) year on year to 88,200t, with strong demand from Japan, Korea and the US. Lamb exports for April also rose strongly by 32% to 22,600t. The Middle East and Asia remain the major destinations.