milk,
milk supply,
increase in production,
milk collections
French milk supply falls off
Figures for the past two months show that milk production is falling back in Europe's second-largest dairy producer.
France has reported its full figures for March, showing a 1.24% drop in milk collections compared with the same month last year. This means a 27m-litre drop in production.
Since then, weekly surveys in April – the peak production month for French farmers – have shown a sharp decline in supply. France is currently running nearly 3% under last year's production levels. After dropping off last autumn, the country's milk supply appeared to be catching up with previous years earlier this spring, but this is no longer the case.
While dry weather was reported to have slowed down milk collections in recent weeks, this may change with the return of more seasonal rainfall.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands has reported a modest increase in production in March (+0.7% or 8.5m litres compared with March 2016). Spain was back in growth territory in March, with a 1.3% year-on-year increase (+7.8m litres). UK supply was down 1.5% in March (-19m litres).
The EU's largest milk producer, Germany, has yet to report March milk collections.
April milk supply was up 15% year-on-year in Ireland.