EU milk collection strongly increased by 4% (522,000t) in March 2026 compared to March 2025, recent figures from the European Commission show.

Milk deliveries increased in 17 member states, the commission said.

The highest growth was in Belgium (+9.2%), Austria (+7.9%), and Germany (+7%) and the highest decreases in Romania (-12.4%), Estonia (-9.8%), and Portugal (-6%).

Milk collection in the period from January to March 2026 was 4.4% higher than in January to March 2025.

In March 2026, 3.5% of total raw milk collected was organic.

EU production of butter, fermented, skim milk powder and cheeses increased in January to February 2026 by 10%, 1.9%, 15.1% and 2.1% respectively compared to January to February 2025.

EU production decreased for other categories of dairy products such as: whole milk powder (-0.3%); cream (-1.8%); concentrated milk (-3.8%); and drinking milk (-0.9%).

EU milk prices

In March 2026, average EU farm gate milk prices decreased by 1.9% compared to the previous month, to 43.1c/kg.

This price is 19% lower than in March 2025 and 6% lower than the five years' average.

Member states’ estimates point to further decrease of milk prices in April 2026 (-0.4%), down to 42.9c/kg.

Compared to a year ago, the highest decreases of milk prices were in Belgium (-30%), Lithuania (-30%), Denmark (-29%), the Netherlands (-27%), and Germany (-27%).

Only in four member states (Spain, Finland, Malta and Cyprus) were milk prices higher than a year ago.

Exports

EU dairy exports increased in January 2026 for skim milk powder (+9%), condensed (+1%), whole milk powder (+2%), and butter (+25%).

Total EU exports in January 2026 expressed in milk equivalent increased by 5.4% but the value of these exports decreased by 4.1% compared to January 2025.

The value of EU dairy exports reached nearly €1.2 billion.

EU butter exports increased to the following destinations: the US (+89%); China (+4%); UAE (+70%).

They decreased to the UK (-6%), Saudi Arabia (-57%), South Korea (-17%), Taiwan (-15%), Indonesia (-79%), and Lebanon (-55%).

Global milk production

New Zealand's milk production in March 2026 increased by 9.8% and by 5.5% in January to March 2026. In March 2026, milk prices decreased by 0.5% to 37.3c/kg.

Australia's milk production in March 2026 increased by 2.8% and by 1.6% in January to March 2026.

UK milk production in March 2026 strongly increased by 2.4%and by 3.4% in January to March 2026.

US milk production increased by 2.3% in March 2026 and by2.9% in January to March 2026. The farm gate milk price in March increased by 11.2%, to 33.8c/kg.