July milk production rose 9.2% YOY on a solids basis, a record high at 27.43m kg, and 6.2% ahead of the five-year rolling average for the month.

Milk output lifted 8.4% YOY on a tonnage basis to 310,000t, taking season to date production 4.2% ahead of the same period last year. June and July account for a very small percentage of season milk production—an average of just 2.4% for the past five years. 

According to NZX, pasture growth was spurred by less rainfall in the North Island, compared to wetter conditions last year.