Whey protein production has decreased 5% on the same period last year but milk deliveries have increased 1.2% across Europe in January- April from the same period last year.

Interestingly, milk deliveries have dropped by 0.9% in Ireland with the Netherlands and France also seeing a decrease in production compared to last year.

More SMP (+6.0%), butter (+1.2%) and cheese (+2.4%) produced in Jan-Apr 2018, while decline for concentrated milk (-9.1%), WMP (-5.0%), cream (-1.5%) and drinking milk (-0.6%): https://t.co/UuROWMhceJ #MilkMOEU #EU_Agri pic.twitter.com/6YpHNaBe8q

— EuroMMO (@EuropeanMMO) June 21, 2018

SMP auction

Earlier this week some 23,533t of skimmed milk powder (SMP) has been sold from stocks held in intervention by the European Commission.

The demand for SMP products is boosting production and signals a positive market for the dairy sector.

Skimmed milk powder prices boosting dairy markets

Milk prices creep up for May

Smaller volume of SMP shifted in June sale

Skimmed milk powder production up 6% on last year

The latest report from the European Milk Market Observatory (MMO) highlights a 6% increase in skimmed powder, 2.4% in cheese production and a 1.2% increase in butter from January-April 2017 figures.