AUSTRALIAN dairyfarmers in export market states are ramping up milk production in response to strong prices.
The latest figures from Dairy Australia show March milk production across the country was up 3.8% compared with last year.
But that overall modest increase disguised a huge jump in Tasmania (up 16.6%) and Gippsland (up 10.3%).
Other Victorian regions were also up for March with northern Victoria up 2.8% and western Victoria up 2.9%.
Overall Victorian production was up 5.3%. Western Australia also recorded a small increase of 0.8%.
But NSW and Queensland, and to lesser extent South Australia, continue to lose production, on the back of a difficult domestic market and dry seasonal conditions.
Queensland is down 5% on the same time last year, NSW is down 4.1% and SA is down 2.2%.
Nationally production is still down year-to-date at -1.4%.
But Tasmania is now ahead year-to-date (up 3%) as is Gippsland (up 1.3%) and northern Victoria (up 0.7%).
All other areas are down year to date led by Queensland (down 5.9%), SA (down 5.8%) and NSW (down 5%)
Source: AiryFarmer