Comeback for Cono in the DCA Farm Gate Milk Price Calculator

In the first half of 2026, milk prices came under pressure. In the declining market, Cono's milk price has recovered strongly in the DCA Farm Gate Milk Price Calculator. Here is an overview of the main developments during the first half of 2026. In June 2025, the average milk price (DCA Base Milk Price Index) peaked above €55 per 100kg. A year later, the average price is about €15 lower, which amounts to a decline of more than a quarter. The price drop that began last year after the summer continued this year. In particular, January brought another sharp correction, after which stability returned. In April there was a slight increase, but there was no market recovery. Milk prices fell below production costs. Dairy farmers report that in the first half of this year they received about €100,000 less in milk payments than in the same period last year. Comeback Cono In the DCA Farm Gate Milk Price Calculator, the relative positions have shifted. Cono's recovery is particularly striking. Traditionally, Cono has paid a relatively high milk price, but in recent years the company failed to live up to that reputation. Over all of 2025, the processor ranked at the bottom of the Milk Price Calculator on average, but over the first half of 2026 the processor tops the ranking with the highest base milk price. Cono is the only processor to remain above the €40 per 100kg mark. Cono's recovery is not unexpected. As a producer of branded cheese, the company is less sensitive to price fluctuations in the commodity market, which has recently been characterised by falling prices as a result of a global milk surplus. In a rising market, this mechanism works the other way around, causing Cono to lose ground in the Milk Price Calculator in earlier years. Hochwald and FrieslandCampina As it did last year, Hochwald continues to perform well. Dutch suppliers of the German cooperative, however, do not receive a supplementary payment. FrieslandCampina remains in third place. The Amersfoort-based cooperative sought to maintain an appropriate milk price in relation to the volatile market developments. Only in February was there stability. In explanations of the guaranteed price, it was repeatedly stated that corrections had to be made because the estimated milk prices of the reference companies had proved either too low or too high. Merger with Arla The middle group consists of Lactalis Leerdammer and DOC Kaas. DOC Kaas briefly led in May, but fell back to the bottom position in June. Following the merger with Arla, the company now follows Arla's milk pricing system. For Dutch suppliers, this usually means a relatively low advance milk price, which is later offset by a generous standard supplementary payment. Other cooperatives may also increase their final milk price if supplementary payments are made for 2026. No. Processor Avg. base milk price from Jan to June 1 Cono Kaasmakers €40,51 2 Hochwald €39,58 3 FrieslandCampina €39,54 4 Lactalis Leerdammer €39,44 5 DOC Kaas €39,31 6 A-ware €38,82 7 Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods €38,36 8 Arla €37,71