Milk output remains strong in Germany, France, Italy, and Poland, despite slower growth

Milk production across Germany, France, Italy, and Poland remained above year-earlier levels in April, although growth momentum slowed in most countries compared to March. Organic milk production showed a more mixed trend, with continued growth in Germany but declines in France, Italy, and Poland. Meanwhile, stronger milk solids production and ample milk availability continued to weigh on farmgate milk prices, keeping them below 2025 levels.Milk production in Germany reached 2.91 million tons in April. Although this marked a 6% increase compared to the previous year, it also represented a slowdown from the 7.1% annual growth reported in March. During the same period, organic milk production increased by 7.8% to 141,286 tons, down from the 9.2% year-over-year growth recorded in March.Cumulatively, both the conventional and organic sectors have recorded strong production growth. Year-to-date (YTD) milk production increased by 6.7% to 11.36 million tons as of April, while organic milk output rose by 8.2% to 541,321 tons.Although lower than in the previous month, protein and fat contents remained above year-earlier levels. Protein content increased by 0.9% to 3.51%, while fat content rose by 0.5% to 4.14%. As a result, milk solids (MS) production continued to outpace liquid milk production, with cumulative output increasing by 7.1% year-over-year to 879,844 tons.The increased availability of milk and MS continues to weigh on farmgate milk prices. Despite a monthly increase, Germany's milk price declined by 25.4% year-over-year to €40.54 per 100 kilos in April. Although prices increased by 1.3% compared to March, milk prices were exceptionally strong in 2025, resulting in a steep annual decline.In contrast, organic milk prices remained 0.9% above year-earlier levels, averaging €65.02 per 100 kilos. However, the premium is narrowing as organic milk prices continue to decline on a monthly basis.FranceFrance's milk output increased by a more moderate 1.1% year-over-year to 2.15 million tons in April. However, this represents a notable slowdown from the 5.2% growth observed in March. The organic segment experienced an even sharper deceleration, contracting by 4.8% to 107,835 tons.April's results slightly moderated the strong production performance seen earlier in the year. As of April, cumulative milk output had expanded by 4.6% to 8.54 million tons. Meanwhile, organic production reached 395,682 tons, representing a 1.1% increase compared to the previous year.Despite the strong production in earlier months, FranceAgriMer signals a strong decline in milk production in the following month. Since late April (week 17), the milk production index has been consistently below the previous year, driven by notable declines in Bretagne and Normandie. This suggests an accelerated decline in production for May.Developments in milk composition mirrored those observed in Germany. Although fat and protein contents declined compared to March, both remained above year-earlier levels. Fat content averaged 4.09% (+0.7% YoY), while protein content reached 3.34% (+1.8% YoY). This contributed to further growth in MS production, which increased by 5.7% year-over-year to 642,694 tons as of April.Milk prices remained subdued across both conventional and organic segments. Farmgate milk prices averaged €45.25 per 100 kilos, down 8.1% compared to the previous year. Organic milk prices declined more moderately, falling by 2.5% year-over-year to €46.92 per 100 kilos. However, organic milk prices remain below the EU average of €58.30 per 100 kilos.ItalyMilk production in Italy also slowed in April. After recording annual growth of 8.3% in March, milk output increased by only 3.3% year-over-year to 1.18 million tons. The organic segment also weakened, contracting by 2.4% to 18,346 tons.Despite this moderation, cumulative milk output remained 7% above year-earlier levels, reaching 4.71 million tons as of April. In contrast, YTD organic milk production remained broadly stable, increasing by only 0.6% year-over-year to 72,069 tons.Fat and protein contents also declined on both a monthly and annual basis. Both fat and protein levels fell by 0.3% year-over-year, averaging 3.95% and 3.44%, respectively. Despite this decline, stronger milk composition earlier in the year supported a 7.1% increase in cumulative MS production, which reached 354,144 tons as of April. As a result, MS production continued to outpace growth in liquid milk output.The ample milk supply continued to weigh on prices in both the conventional and organic segments. Farmgate milk prices averaged €45.53 per 100 kilos in April, declining by 3.6% compared to March and by 20.9% year-over-year. Meanwhile, organic milk prices fell by 17.2% year-over-year to €60.88 per 100 kilos.PolandPolish milk production increased by 3.7% year-over-year to 1.21 million tons in April, marking the strongest annual growth rate recorded so far in 2026. Meanwhile, organic milk production remained weak, falling by 22.9% to just 909 tons. Overall, this underlines that Poland's dairy sector growth remains focused on conventional production, instead of organic.Compared to other major EU milk-producing countries, Poland has recorded more moderate growth rates. However, production growth has remained relatively stable throughout 2026. As a result, cumulative milk production increased by 3.2% to 4.72 million tons as of April. At the same time, milk composition has shown a stable-to-negative trend throughout the year. In April, fat content remained unchanged at 4.06%, while protein content declined by 0.3% year-over-year to 3.41%. Consequently, MS production grew slightly more slowly than liquid milk output, with cumulative production increasing by 2.8% year-over-year to 356,464 tons as of April.