Dutch milk deliveries continue to rise, though at a slowing pace. As ZuivelNL reports, April saw growth of +3.8%, and cumulative deliveries in the first four months of 2026 were 5.3% above the same period of 2025.
EU milk deliveries up 4.5% in Q1
EU milk deliveries rose sharply again in March (+4.2%), in line with growth seen in January and February. Significant volume increases in Western Europe and Poland continued in March. Ireland was the exception, posting a slight decline. Cumulative EU milk deliveries in Q1 2026 were up 4.5%.
The picture among other major global dairy exporters remained positive in March. New Zealand delivered substantial growth (+9.7%), Australia continued to expand (+2.8%), and the US also grew (+2.3%), though at a slowing pace. Argentina (+7.9%) and Uruguay (+11.3%) saw strong milk supply increases. Total volume across major exporters (including the EU) was 4.1% higher through the end of March 2026 compared with a year earlier.
Butter and skimmed milk powder (SMP) prices stabilise
Butter prices have fallen sharply since the second half of March, dropping below €400 in the first half of May, before stabilising. The underlying market remains challenging: butter production is high, stocks are large, seasonal demand is weakening heading into summer, and buying interest remains subdued.
The SMP market has developed predominantly positively since early January — prices rose strongly despite increased supply. As with butter, SMP prices have stabilised since mid-May, with some demand softening adding price pressure. The EU remains the most competitive supplier on the world market.
Full statistical data including product tables, export destinations and price charts is available at: Marktbericht Zuivel mei 2026 (PDF)
Source: ZuivelNL
