Kategorie: News

In Estonia according to the Estonian Farm Animal Performance Control AS (EPJ), in 2020 the average milk production of recorded cows was 10400 kg milk. Compared to 2019, milk production increased 286 kg. As of 01.01.2021, there were 435 recorded herds and 81025 recorded cows, which represents 96.1 percent of the Estonian cows. The average milk yield of the Estonian Holstein breed was 10677 kilogram milk and of the Estonian red breed was 9131 kg. The average milk production of the Estonian country breed was 4690 kg.

In Finland the biggest dairy cooperative Valio reduced in 2020 the plastic content of its product packaging by an amount equivalent to 23 million plastic shopping bags.

In Finland ultimo 2020 organic dairy farms accounted for 3 percent of all dairy farms (2019: 3%). In organic farms the average cell and bacterial counts were slightly higher than on non-organic farms. The difference is explained by the larger-than-average size of organic farms.

In Finland ultimo 2020, automatic milking farms accounted for 21 percent (2019: 20%) of all dairy farms. On automatic milking farms both cell and bacterial counts in milk were higher on average than on farms using traditional milking. In 2020 the geometric mean of cell counts in automated milking farms was 168000 cells/ml and the geometric mean of bacterial counts was 8100 cfu/ml. The size of the farm partly explains the differences between the cell numbers of automatic and traditional milking, but the differences in bacterial counts are bigger in automatic milking farms regardless of farm size.

In Finland the share of the best quality class E milk in 2020 was 96.9 percent (2019: 97.4%). The national geometric mean of the cell counts in the milk samples was 132000 cells/ml (2019: 129000 cells/ml) and the arithmetic mean was 152000 cells/ml (2019: 148000 cells/ml). The geometric mean of bacterial counts was 5900 colony forming units cfu/ml (2019: 5900 cfu/ml) and the arithmetic mean was 9500 cfu/ml (2019: 9700 cfu/ml).

In the EU (without Great Britain) in 2020 the volume of raw milk supply was 1.6 percent more than in 2019. The biggest increase was in Italy (+3.5%), Ireland (+4.6%) and Poland (+1.2%), the biggest decrease was in France (-1.4%), Germany (-1.1%), Austria (-2.1%) and Holland (-0.4%).

The EU and the USA have agreed to postpone for a period of four months the import duties on European dairy products and American dairy products after the USA Trump government started with extra import duties on EU dairy products because of the EU gives subsidies to Airbus and the USA gives to Boeing. The purpose of the postpone is that the EU and the USA can make new agreements about trade and subsidies.

In Germany in February compared to January 2021 the raw material or compound value of milk at farm increased 1.6 eurocent to 32.9 eurocent per kilogram milk with 4.0 percent fat and 3.4 percent protein (exclusive VAT). This is 2.6 eurocent less than in the same month last year.
The highest future price of milk for the next 18 months on the Kieler Börsenmilchwert European Energy Exchange is the price for September 2022 at 40.8 eurocent. The lowest future price is the price for March 2021 at 36.4 eurocent.

In Germany in 2020 was 3.9 percent of the delivered milk of organic origin, in 2019 this was 3.7 percent. In 2020 was 9.8 percent of the consumed milk of organic origin. In 2019 this was 8.5 percent. Of the in 2020 consumed cheese 2.6 percent was organic (2019: 2.3%); of the consumed butter was in 2020 2.9 percent organic (2019: 2.8%)

German exported in 2020 a volume of 1.3 million tonnes cheese which was 2.7 percent more than in 2019. Of the total export 1.08 million tonnes was exported to other EU-countries. This volume increased 1.67 percent. Export to non-EU countries increased 8.5 percent to 222000 tonnes. Of this went 27000 tonnes to Japan, an increase of 27 percent. Export of butter to other EU countries was in 2020 about the same as in 2019 but export to non-EU countries fell 20 percent. Butter export fell most to the United Arab Emirates (from 6000 to 675 tonnes), to Japan (from 2000 to 530 tonnes) and to the USA (from 1000 to 500 tonnes). Export of skimmed milk powder (smk) fell 10 percent to 368000 tonnes.

The France headquartered private dairy Danone is preparing to sell its 9.8 percent ownership of Mengniu, one of the biggest Chinese dairies. Danone’s stake in Mengniu’s share capital currently represents a book value of approximately 850 million euro.

In Luxembourg in the recording year 2019/2020 average milk production per cow was 8908 kilogram with 4.15 percent fat and 3.45 percent protein. This is 449 kilogram milk more than in the previous year.

In Belgium hundreds of dairy farmers have offered to supply milk to the Holland headquartered private dairy Royal A-ware after this has bought the milk powder towers in Aalter (Belgium) from the Holland headquartered dairy cooperative FrieslandCampina.

In Holland in 2020 dairies refused 74 times to receive milk from a farm. This was 40 percent less than in 2019. Milk was refuesed because the farm or the milk did not reach the requested health of quality standards.

In Holland in 2020 the dairy industry excreted 289.9 million kilogram nitrogen which was 3.6 percent more than in 2019. This was mainly caused by the increased number of cows (+1.1%), increased milk production (+0.9%) the feeding of more higher nitrogen content grass and concentrated feed.

The Holland headquartered dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina set in 2010 a target that in 2020 the greenhouse gas emissions would not exceed those of 2010. The cooperative of more than 17000 member dairy farmers and the company have realized this target. Its total reported greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 were lower than in 2010, while its production volume grew by 13.6 percent in that period.

The Holland headquartered dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina has to deal with a 2020 profit that declined 71.6 percent to 79 million euro. This was primarily due to the significantly lower operating profit. As a result of the lower profit, member dairy farmers will not receive a supplementary cash payment for 2020 and no member bonds will be issued. The interim payment made in September 2020, of 0.11 euro excluding VAT, per 100 kilograms of milk will be settled with members in 2021. RFC will change its top management structure. The Executive Board, currently composed of the CEO and CFO, will be increased with the president Food & Beverage and the chief People Officer. This restructure will also result in fewer management layers.

In England, the two private dairies Freshways Dairy, based in Acton, and Medina Dairy, based in Windsor are discussing the possibility of a merger. Combined the two have a milk intake of about 500 million and 600 million litres annual.

Scotland had in January 2021 a number of 843 dairy herds with an average size of 209 cows. Total number of dairy cows was 176334. In the 12 months from August 2019 until August 2020 Scottish milk production was 1.51 billion (10*9) litres. Of this volume 41 percent is used for drinking milk and 38 percent is used for making cheese. Five major dairies account for 94 percent of the milk collection.

Ireland had on June 30, 2020 a number of 1570180 dairy cows. To compare, in 2015 Ireland had 1320336 cows and in 2011 Ireland had 1144826 cows.