Milk production in April increased by more than 30 per cent compared with the same month last year, Fonterra figures show.
The dairy giant collected 108 million kilograms of milksolids last month, up 30.9 per cent on April 2013, evenly split between the North Island and South Island.
The North Island had a huge increase in production, up 50.6 per cent compared with last year’s drought-hit April, while the South Island increased production by 15.7 per cent.
Milk collection in the 11 months to April 30 of 1524 million kg/ms was up 8 per cent on the previous season.
Fonterra’s milk collection across Australia in the 10 months to April 30 was down 3 per cent to 103 million kg/ms as a result of below average spring conditions.
New Zealand’s milk production is highly seasonal, peaking around November and hitting an annual low point around July.
Prices are also up year on year despite the recent 20 per cent fall in prices at global dairy auctions.
Reference commodity products, which are used to calculate the farmgate milk price, were up 44 per cent for the third quarter of this season compared with the same quarter last season.
The rise in dairy prices was greater than that for non-reference commodity products, which were up 22 per cent during that time.
Fonterra is forecasting a farmgate milk price of $8.65 for this season.
It is due to update farmers on this season’s price this month.
Source: Stuff
