EU Raw Milk Prices Fell 19.6% Year on Year
The European Commission’s Milk Market Observatory reported that the average EU raw milk price received by farmers reached 42.6 euro cents per kilogram in May 2026. The monthly decrease was 0.3%, and the annual decrease was 19.6%. The Commission’s estimate for June was 42.3 cents per kilogram, equivalent to a further monthly reduction of 0.7%.
Price movements differed substantially between member states. Malta recorded the largest annual increase, at 3%, followed by Greece, where prices rose by 1%. Lithuania registered the sharpest decline, at 29%, while Belgium and the Netherlands recorded falls of 28% and 26% respectively.
National supply conditions, production costs, processing capacity, demand and product mix are among the factors identified in the market data as influencing prices received by farmers. The figures also cover different operating conditions for producers, processors and other businesses across the dairy supply chain.
Organic raw milk prices showed a separate range across the EU. Cyprus recorded the highest price in May, at 103.6 cents per kilogram. Bulgaria and Denmark followed at 65.7 cents and 65.3 cents respectively. The lowest reported prices were 37.9 cents in Latvia, 39.9 cents in Romania and 40.8 cents in Estonia.
Organic production involves specific production and certification standards, while prices can also reflect supply availability, processing arrangements and consumer demand. The Commission’s figures therefore show different returns between national organic markets rather than a single EU-wide premium. Conversion costs, certification requirements, local demand and access to buyers are relevant considerations for farms assessing organic production.
Milk prices in other major producing regions moved in the opposite direction during May. The US raw milk price increased by 0.3% from April to 34.5 cents per kilogram, while New Zealand’s price rose by 1.1% to 37.3 cents. Comparisons between these markets and the EU require account to be taken of milk composition, pricing methods, exchange rates, production costs and market structures. The international figures are relevant to European businesses involved in procurement and trade in products including cheese, butter and milk powders.
