Domestic Market Updates
Track Australian dairy market updates for some of the latest developments in production, trade and retail sales.
Less Rain in Winter Climate Forecast
The latest Bureau of Meteorology three-month climate outlook forecasts below-average rainfall and warmer-than-average temperatures. From April to June, rainfall is likely to be below average across most of Australia, with a 60%–80% chance of drier-than-normal...
Rain Lifts Ag Water Allocations
Recent rainfall and cooler conditions have lifted seasonal water allocations across northern Victoria. In the Goulburn and Loddon catchment, high-reliability water shares (HRWS) rose to 76%, up from 73%. In the Broken system, HRWS rose to 49%, while the Bullarook...
Australian Ag Forecast to Reach $100bn Target
ABARES’ Quarterly Outlook report forecasts Australian agriculture will exceed a farmgate value of $100bn by 30 June 2026, four years ahead of its initial prediction. The forecast is a jump of $1.9bn on the ABARES estimate from December’s Quarterly Outlook. Despite the...
Bega Raises H1 Profits
Bega Cheese lifted revenue 5% YOY in first-half FY2026 to $1.9bn, with normalised EBITDA jumping 21% to $133.4m and profits after tax of $52.1m, up 45% YOY. Basic earnings rose to 17.1c per share, with a fully franked interim dividend of 7c per share. Across dairy...
Australian January Milk Production Rises
January milk production rose 1.5% YOY with seasonal data now tracking 1.2% behind the prior season comparable. This was an improvement on previous months. Across the states, output was mixed. In Victoria, production rose 1.6% YOY for the month. There was variation...
Below Average Rainfall in January
According to Dairy Australia’s January 2026 Production Inputs Monitor, most dairy regions had below-average rainfall in January, with declining soil moisture levels. Water levels in major Murray-Goulburn river system storages remained below the prior year except in...
Australian Exports Decline in December
Total December exports declined 12% YOY in milk solids equivalent (MSE) terms. Cheese exports fell 9.3% YOY for the month to 15,079t, led by weaker shipments to Japan. SMP exports declined 26.6% YOY in December, with most of the fall in shipments to China & HK....
Cow Culling Declines in January
Saleyard transactions of dairy cow culls as reported by the National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) increased 13% YOY for the season-to-date (July-January). January alone was -28% YOY. The saleyard average price peaked in November at 370c/kg liveweight before...
Household Spending Declines
Household spending was down 0.4% in December in nominal terms, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Spending eased month-on-month for the first time in several months. However, spending remains higher compared to a year ago....
ADF & VFF/UDV Renew Framework Agreement
Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) and Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF)/United Dairy Farmers of Victoria (UDV) have renewed their national agreement. The two organisations streamlined their collaboration with renewed commitment to a single voice policy, which is...