EU milk production closes the first quarter on a strong note

Milk production across key EU producers continued to expand strongly in March, supported by favourable milk composition and robust quarterly growth. France and Germany recorded particularly strong year-over-year increases in both liquid milk and milk solids output, while Poland reported more moderate growth amid weaker fat and protein contents. Organic milk production also accelerated in France and Germany, contrasting with the continued decline of the sector in Poland. Overall, the first quarter closed on a firm note for European milk supply, with milk solids growth outpacing liquid milk production in most markets.Milk production increased by 4.2% year-over-year to 2.2 million tons in March. Despite this notable increase, production growth slowed considerably from the 6% year-over-year growth observed in February.Meanwhile, the organic sector reported slower growth during the period, increasing by 2.4% year-over-year to 103,890 tons. However, organic milk production accelerated compared to the relative stability observed in the previous month (+0.5% YoY).The fat content in milk averaged 4.16% during the month, declining by 0.5% from the previous month but increasing by 2% year-over-year. At the same time, protein content reached 3.34%, remaining stable compared to the previous month, while increasing by 1.5% over the previous year. As a result, milk solids (MS) output increased by 6.1% year-over-year to 166,192 tons in March, notably outpacing the growth in liquid milk production.The overall acceleration in milk production, combined with the high nutritional content of the milk, resulted in a strong close to the first quarter of the year. Cumulative liquid milk production reached 6.34 million tons (+5.3%) in the first quarter of 2026, while MS output increased to 479,035 tons (+6.3%). In contrast, the organic sector grew more moderately, increasing by 1.7% year-over-year to 282,813 tons.GermanyGermany’s milk output reached 2.98 million tons in March, increasing by 7% year-over-year and accelerating slightly compared to February. Growth in the organic sector also accelerated, with production rising by 9.2% to 141,559 tons.That said, the nutritional content of the milk declined compared to the previous month. While fat content fell by 0.2% year-over-year to 4.16%, protein content remained stable year-over-year at 3.52%. As a result, MS production growth was slightly lower than liquid milk production growth, increasing by 6.8% year-over-year to 228,474 tons. Nevertheless, this growth remains notable.Germany also recorded strong growth in both liquid milk and MS output during the first quarter, reaching 8.45 million tons (+6.9% YoY) and 656,684 tons (+7.2% YoY), respectively. Organic milk production posted even stronger cumulative growth, rising by 8.3% year-over-year to 400,035 tons.PolandMilk production in Poland increased by 3.3% year-over-year to 1.24 million tons in March, accelerating slightly from the 2.5% growth reported in February.However, fat content in milk declined by 0.7% year-over-year, averaging 4.08% in March. Similarly, protein content fell by 1.4% year-over-year to 3.42%. Due to the lower nutrient content in milk, MS output increased by only 2.3% year-over-year to 92,669 tons, marking a notable deceleration compared to liquid milk production growth.Poland recorded more moderate growth during the first quarter, with milk output increasing by 3.1% to 3.51 million tons. MS production growth was lower, rising by 2.6% to 265,870 tons, reflecting the overall decline in milk fat and protein content. In contrast to France and Germany, the organic sector in Poland remains relatively small. After several months of annual declines, the country’s quarterly organic milk production fell by 17.3% year-over-year to 2,609 tons.