Milk production in the EU increased by 3.3% between January and June 2016 compared to the corresponding period in 2015, the latest figures from the EU’s Milk Market Observatory (MMO) show.
While milk production is up for the six-month period, the figures show that June milk production in the EU in 2016 was below that of June 2015.
Comparing production in the first five months of the year to the first six, this is a decrease in milk production of 2.2%.
While production appears to be waning in other EU countries, milk production in Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands has continued to increase – albeit at a slower pace than this time last year.
The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that Irish processors took in approximately 856.2m litres in June 2016, which was 4.5% above the corresponding 2015 figure.
The figures show that while the amount of milk sold for human consumption increased by 3.4% to 43.2m litres, butter production was down 8.7% to 21,100t, after being up in May by 10.5%.
The June figures are back somewhat on supplies taken in May, which were estimated at 918.0m.
That was a 4.9% increase in volumes above the corresponding figure for milk production for May 2015.
Figures from the MMO show that Irish milk production was up 10.3% in the six-month period between January and June 2016.
