Domestic Market Updates
Track Australian dairy market updates for some of the latest developments in production, trade and retail sales.
Australian Milk Output Sneaks Past Prior Season
With one month to go, in terms of output data, Australia’s production has inched ahead of the past season’s output by 0.2%. May output finished +5.4% year-over-year. Victoria’s production rose +6.7% YOY for the month with increases in monthly output across all...
Lactalis Mainland Lifts Milk Price
The processor increased its opening price by 15c/kgMS, lifting the rang to $8.80kgMS—$9.60kgMS. The 15c/kgMS average increase includes 12c/kg of fat and 18c/kg of protein. Reacting to the price hike in local news outlets, United Dairyfarmers of Victoria President...
Danone Expands Australian Operations
French dairy company Danone agreed to acquire Melbourne-based MADE Group and Saputo's 49% stake in their Australian dairy joint venture, giving Danone full ownership of the business. The two major acquisitions are worth more than $1.5bn The deals strengthen Danone's...
Dairy Cow Prices Soar
Processor demand has pushed dairy cow prices sharply higher, with saleyard values up about 40% year‑on‑year as tighter supply meets strong domestic buying interest. According to industry stakeholders, most classes of dairy cattle, from heifers to Spring‑ and...
Slaughter Rates Continue to Slow
Saleyard transactions of dairy cow culls, as reported by the National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS), increased 0.5% YOY for the season-to-date (July-May). May alone declined 32% YOY, the second consecutive monthly drop. The average May saleyard price of 325c/kg...
El Niño Declared in Australia
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has officially declared an El Niño underway, confirming that the atmosphere is now responding to unusually warm sea‑surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific. This marks the onset of a strong or potentially very strong event,...
Processors Add Support Payments
Following last week’s excitement of new season farmgate milk prices, some processors have announced support payments. Saputo Dairy Australia confirmed an additional support payment for its southern region suppliers for the 2026-27 season. Saputo is paying suppliers...
Cost-Of-Living Continues to Bite
Australian consumer sentiment has deteriorated again in June. The index declined to 80.6, the weakest reading since April and among the lowest in the survey’s 50-year history. Cost‑of‑living pressures remain the dominant drag, overwhelming the brief relief from the...
USDA Expects Aussie Milk Pool to Grow
In its latest semi-annual dairy and products report, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service estimates Australian 2026 milk production to lift 1.4% year-over-year. This reflects a stronger‑than‑expected recovery from drought in Southwest Victoria and South Australia, plus...
2026-27 Opening Prices Announced
Australia’s dairy processors released their opening farmgate milk prices for the 2026-27 season, which were lower than expected in the southern export-focused region. Bega announced a weighted average opening price of $9.04kgMS, while Saputo’s opening price is in the...