EU-27 milk production was flat YOY in December according to Eurostat and AGEA (Italy) data. Collections in Germany were down 4.3% YOY, production was also down 0.9% in France. Milk production was down 0.6% YOY in the Netherlands and –4.1% in Belgium. Polish production continued to increase, up 3.8% YOY in December but the largest expansion was in Ireland, up 30.1% on a weak 2023 comparable. December milk solids output  was also flat YOY, with a 0.8% YOY decline for protein (mostly in the Netherlands) and a 0.7% YOY increase in fat.

Milk production in key countries such as Ireland are likely to further recover from here. We expect EU27 cow numbers to continue to be lower YOY although ending year 2024 data is still not available. Most recent weekly milk output data showed continuing YOY falls in France and Germany. EU-27 supplies are seasonally increasing however, and farmgate prices are easing in early 2025.