Milk output grew 2.9% YOY in July, marking the eighth consecutive month of year-on-year production increases, but this was the smallest absolute gain since January. This puts calendar year output for the first seven months of 2020 5.1% ahead of the prior year comparable, but still 4.6% lower than the same period in 2018.

Milk production was strong in southern regions with Victorian output up 3.8% YOY in July. Gippsland and Northern Victoria both recorded a 4.8% YOY increase in production for the month, while western Victoria’s output rose 2.5% YOY. Milk intake rose 4.3% YOY in South Australia, while Tasmanian output edged 0.8% higher in July. Output contracted 0.3% YOY in northern regions as Queensland’s contracted 7.8% YOY for the month offsetting a 2% increase in NSW output. In WA July milk output increased 3.8% YOY.