Argentina’s Milk Price Reached a Decade Low in August
The national average paid to producers stood at 535.12 pesos per litre in August. OCLA’s inflation-adjusted series placed the result at the bottom of its August observations for the last ten years. In real terms, the price was 746.83 pesos per litre in August 2024 and 632.64 pesos in August 2025.
During 2026, the inflation-adjusted price remained broadly stable, OCLA reported, although it stayed within the lowest part of the series. The figures measure the amount received by producers for raw milk supplied to the dairy industry.
Regional differences were evident among Argentina’s main producing provinces. Salta recorded the highest provincial average, at 571.84 pesos per litre, followed by Buenos Aires at 558.29 pesos. Santa Fe reported 529.59 pesos, Entre Ríos 534.16 pesos, San Luis 530.97 pesos, Córdoba 524.04 pesos and La Pampa 522.77 pesos. Santiago del Estero had the lowest provincial figure, at 504.73 pesos per litre.
The gap widened when the data were grouped by dairy basin. Abasto Norte posted the highest value, at 582.59 pesos per litre, while Córdoba Centro recorded 502.11 pesos. The difference between the two basins was 80.48 pesos per litre. OCLA calculated that the higher-priced basin’s figure was 16% above the lower one.
OCLA said that differences between basins may reflect several factors, including competition among dairy processors for milk supplies, the distances between farms and processing plants, the type of processor purchasing the milk, and the quality and volume characteristics of each farm. The figures therefore also show variation in the payment received for different production profiles.
Prices for useful milk solids—milk fat and protein—also differed by region. The national average was 7,269.15 pesos per kilogram. Entre Ríos Este ranked first among the basins at 8,150 pesos per kilogram, while Córdoba Centro recorded 6,777 pesos. By province, Salta again had the highest value, at 7,938.36 pesos per kilogram, followed by Buenos Aires at 7,503.46 pesos and Entre Ríos at 7,386.06 pesos. The data were reported by OCLA and cited by Revista Chacra.
