Chile’s milk intake rose 4.6% as producer prices fell
Figures compiled by Fedeleche from data supplied by Odepa show that Chilean dairy plants collected 49.2m more litres during the first half of 2026 than in the corresponding period a year earlier. Over the 12 months to June, intake reached 2,420.3m litres, an annual increase of 4.7%.
June contributed 156.5m litres to the half-year total, representing a 7.3% increase from June 2025. The monthly rise amounted to an additional 10.7m litres compared with the same month last year.
Regional distribution
Los Ríos was the largest source of milk received by processors in the first six months, with 438.1m litres. Its intake grew by 8.7%, or 35.2m litres, and accounted for 38.9% of the national total.
Los Lagos supplied 433.2m litres and represented 38.5% of national intake. Its year-on-year increase was 0.5%. Together, Los Ríos and Los Lagos provided 77.4% of the milk collected by Chilean industry during the period.
Several other regions also recorded increases. La Araucanía reached 89.5m litres, up 6.2%, while Biobío posted the strongest percentage growth, rising 12.3% to 31.9m litres. The Metropolitan Region increased 5.4% to 108.5m litres. Ñuble was the only region listed with a decline, falling 8.8% from 26.5m to 24.2m litres.
June growth was recorded in Los Ríos, La Araucanía, Biobío, Los Lagos and the Metropolitan Region, at 11.3%, 10.1%, 12.3%, 3.5% and 6.7%, respectively. Ñuble’s intake decreased by 11.1% from a year earlier. The average real price paid to farmers in June was $482.7 per litre, down 1.5% year on year, leaving higher industrial intake alongside lower real producer prices during both the month and the first half.
