EU-28 Milk Production Update – Apr ’18
Executive Summary
EU-28 milk production figures provided by Eurostat were recently updated with values spanning through Feb ’18. Highlights from the updated report include:
EU-28 milk production has finished higher on a YOY basis over 12 consecutive months through Feb ’18. The Feb ’18 YOY increase in milk production was the smallest experienced throughout the past seven months on a percentage basis, however, as unusually cold weather conditions were experienced.
Feb ’18 YOY increases in production on an absolute basis were led by Germany, followed by Italy and France. The aforementioned member states accounted for over 60% of the total EU-28 YOY increase in production volumes experienced throughout Feb ’18.
YOY gains in production on a percentage basis were led by Bulgaria (+18.9%), followed by Romania (+8.3%) and Cyprus (+8.2%), while declines in production on a percentage basis were most significant within Sweden (-1.9%), Hungary (-1.9%) and Latvia (-1.6%).
Nine of the top ten milk producing member states experienced YOY gains in milk production during Feb ’18, as production within the top ten milk producing member states increased by a weighted average of 3.1% throughout the month. The top ten EU-28 milk producing member states accounted for over 85% of the total EU-28 milk production experienced throughout the month. Overall, 20 of the 28 member states experienced YOY increases in production volumes during Feb ’18.
Jan ’18 EU-28 beef & dairy cow slaughter finished higher on a YOY basis for the fourth consecutive month when normalized for slaughter days, increasing by 3.3%. YOY increases in beef & dairy cow slaughter were most significant within Germany, followed by the United Kingdom and Poland.
EU-28 bovine slaughter increased 0.7% YOY throughout the ’15-’16 production season and finished up an additional 3.2% throughout the ’16-’17 production season. USDA expects the EU-28 dairy cow herd to be marginally lower throughout 2018 but recent culling is expected to have a positive impact on future per cow productivity as lower producing animals are culled.
- Feb ’18 EU-28 milk production higher on a YOY basis for the 12th consecutive month, increasing by 2.9% to record seasonal high for the month of February. The YOY increase in EU-28 milk production was the smallest experienced throughout the past seven months, however, as unusually cold weather conditions were experienced.
- Feb ’18 YOY increases in milk production were led by Germany, followed by Italy and France. The aforementioned member states accounted for over 60% of the total YOY increase in EU-28 production volumes experienced during Feb ’18.
- EU-28 bovine slaughter rates finished higher on a YOY basis for the fourth consecutive month during Jan ’18 when normalized for slaughter days, increasing by 3.3%. YOY increases in beef & dairy cow slaughter were most significant within Germany, followed by the United Kingdom and Poland.
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