Europe
The number of dairy farmers in the UK is declining
The latest AHDB survey indicates that the number of dairy farmers has fallen by nearly 5%, or 380 producers, in the past 12 months, compared with April 2022. Historically high production costs are cited as the main reason for leaving the industry, despite easing inflation. An additional burden on producers is falling milk prices. As a result, some are virtually forced out of the business.
Milk prices in Romania have dropped by 20%
An agreement was successfully negotiated between the government and representatives of retailers, processors and farmers, as a result of which milk prices on the shelves have declined by an average of 20%. For some products, the reductions were as high as 34%. The aim of the agreement was to increase sales of fresh milk from Romania, which had declined due to competition from cheaper imported milk. Under the plan, the price cuts will be borne by retailers and processors and will not have a negative impact on farmers.
Turkey’s milk production is growing
In March, 912 000 tons of cow’s milk were collected, up 6.2 percent compared to the same month last year. Production of drinking milk increased by almost 11 percent year-on-year to 139 000 tons. 99 000 tons of yogurt were produced, 2.9 percent more than last year. Cheese production increased by 3.4 percent to 67 000 tons. Production of Ayran, a local yogurt drink, fell 2.9 percent to 61 630 tons.
The Americas
The startup MyAnIML™ is constantly developing solutions to take care of herd health
The system developed by the company uses, among other things, a special muzzle that uses artificial intelligence to monitor and analyze changes in the cow’s mouth, enabling early detection of diseases and illnesses. Among the latest solutions added to the offering are ear tags for cattle, which make it even easier to find a sick cow and isolate it earlier. This saves farmers time and also reduces the preventive use of antibiotics. We repeat the question: How could people do anything at all without all these devices and systems?
Uruguay’s dairy exports are on the rise
According to the latest data, milk exports in April increased by almost 30% compared to the same period in 2022. The value of Uruguayan milk exports in April was $70 million. In addition, revenues in the first quarter were the highest since 2014, with the largest increase in milk exports to the Brazilian market, while the largest decrease was in milk exports to Algeria.
Fairlife will build a new plant in New York
The company, which is part of Coca-Cola, specializes in the production of ultra-filtered milk and sells its products in Canada, the United States and China. Fairlife has decided to build its new plant in New York State. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall and be completed before 2025. The area was chosen because of its proximity to markets and highly skilled workforce. The investment is expected to contribute to the development of the region, where the dairy industry has begun to decline.
Asia & Oceania
China is importing less Polish milk
Milk exports from Poland to China have decreased by as much as 66% in the first two months of this year compared to the same period last year. The main reason cited for this is the intense promotion of domestic milk and dairy products in China. Many are hoping for a reversal of this trend due to the general increase in imports in China following the move away from the zero-COVID policy.
Japanese dairy in crisis
Bankruptcies among Japanese raw milk producers reached their highest level in a decade in 2022. The factors that contributed most to this situation were the war in Ukraine and the weak yen, which contributed to a significant increase in livestock feed prices and general production costs. Demand was already low due to the impact of the pandemic, and labor shortages were already occurring beforehand. Many breeders had no other choice and were forced to abandon their activities.
South Korea is culling cattle after a disease outbreak
South Korean authorities have ordered the slaughter of several hundred cattle and introduced biosecurity measures after cases of foot-and-mouth disease were confirmed on farms in the central part of the country. This is the first confirmed outbreak of the disease since early 2019, and a special team has been dispatched to investigate the outbreak, disinfect farms in the area, and impose a 48-hour halt to the movement of people and livestock in the affected area.
