Milk Production Falls in Southern States Amid Prolonged Drought

Australia’s national milk production has dropped by more than three per cent since the start of the season in July, with southern states bearing the brunt. Dairy Australia reports an 8.8 per cent decline in South Australia alone, amid what’s being described as the worst drought in a century.

South Australian Dairyfarmers Association president Robert Brokenshire said farmers had little choice but to sell stock to stay afloat. "It's 18 months since that drought started and farmers have had to destock, so that has obviously had an impact straight away," he said.

Victoria has also recorded a 4.3 per cent drop across July and August, with conditions still deteriorating in some areas. Bessiebelle farmer Will McDonald said, “I think it will take a while to recover. After herd numbers were reduced with the drought, production is not going to recover overnight.”

Dairy producers cite high feed costs, poor fodder quality, and delayed rainfall as key factors behind the downturn. Some, like Bamawm dairy farmer Ann Gardiner, have turned to making silage to supplement feed shortages. “The feed source is pretty ordinary, so there is not a lot of milk in that,” she said.

New South Wales and Queensland remain the only states to report an increase in milk production so far this season.