Last season Fonterra tankers loaded up with the third-highest tonnage of milk solids in the history of the co-op. As Farmers Weekly reports, the 1.5708 billion kg MS collected in 2025/26 was the highest in a decade, up 4.1% on the prior season.
The total was the third highest on record — only 2013/14 and 2014/15 were higher — Fonterra farm source group director Anne Douglas said. “The biggest contributing factor was the favourable weather conditions across most of the country, which helped with pasture growth. We’re also continuing to see productivity gains made by farmers through things like breeding improvements and maintaining high animal welfare standards.” The 2013/14 collection was 1.584 billion kg MS; 2014/15 was 1.614 billion kg MS.
North Island: 885.9 million kg MS (+3.5% on prior season). South Island: 684.9 million kg MS (+4.8%). May collections were a record 81.5 million kg MS (+5.8%): North Island 39.3 million kg MS (+7.7%), South Island 42.2 million kg MS (+4.1%).
“The higher milk solids produced last season is a good news story for farmers as well as the wider economy, particularly considering almost 50 cents of every dollar that a farmer earns is spent in their local communities,” Douglas said.
Fonterra’s Global Dairy Update for May reports milk production grew 4.5% for the 12 months to May. For the month, production was up 5% compared with the same month the prior year.
Globally: Australian milk production was up 6.1% in April YoY, but largely flat for the 12 months to April (-0.2%). EU production was 4.2% higher in April, up 4.3% for the 12 months to April. US production increased 4.1% in May and 4.7% for the 12 months to May.
NZ dairy exports jumped 16.3% (49,477 tonnes) in May YoY. Higher WMP, SMP and butter exports drove the increase: WMP up 43% (43,150t). Fluid milk products declined 14.8% (6,626t). Exports for the 12 months to May rose 2.3% (82,250t), driven mainly by higher WMP, supported by butter, milk protein concentrate and milk protein isolate.
Source: Farmers Weekly
