EU milk prices rise for third month as Capsa Food leads July processor ranking
The average price paid by major European dairy processors rose by €0.10 to €40.26 per 100 kg of standard milk in July. Capsa Food led the 16-processor ranking at €43.52, while stronger global demand lifted European milk powder quotations.
European average reaches €40.26
The average price paid for standard milk by major European dairy processors increased for a third consecutive month in July, according to the International Milk Price Comparison compiled by European Dairy Farmers and ZuivelNL. The calculated average reached €40.26 per 100 kg, up €0.10, or 0.3%, from June. Despite the recent increases, the price remained almost 20% below its level a year earlier.
The comparison covers standard milk containing 4.2% fat and 3.4% protein. Conditions remained mixed across the 16 processors included in the European average: most companies kept prices unchanged or made limited adjustments. The spread between the highest and lowest payers was substantial, ranging from €43.52 per 100 kg at Capsa Food to €35.14 at Poland's Mlekpol.
Capsa Food tops processor ranking
Spain's Capsa Food, the only Spanish processor in the report, paid €43.52 per 100 kg in July, €0.10 less than in June but €3.26 above the European average. Its base price for type A milk has remained unchanged since April, when the company made a significant downward correction after several months at high levels. July's calculated price included a premium of €3.88 per 100 kg but excluded an animal-welfare payment of €0.60.
Capsa's July price was €5.12 below its weighted 12-month average of €48.64 per 100 kg. Among processors raising payments, Saputo Dairy UK recorded the largest increase, adding €2.40 after a 5% rise in fat and protein values and a favorable currency effect. Arla increased its price by €1.48, DMK by €1.43 and Ireland's Kinisla, formerly Kerry Agribusiness, by €1.11. Dairygold posted a third consecutive monthly increase, adding €0.51. Valio made the largest cut, reducing its price by €2.91, while Mlekpol lowered it by €2.44. Danone and FrieslandCampina each cut their prices by €0.24.
Powder markets strengthen as milk supply grows
ZuivelNL's Dutch dairy quotations point to firmer ingredient markets. Skimmed milk powder rose from €282 per 100 kg on August 5 to €318 on September 2, after exceeding €300 in late August for the first time since 2022. AgroDigital attributed the increase to strong global demand and Europe's competitive position as a supplier. Whole milk powder advanced from €345 to €372, while whey powder rose from €134 to €160. Butter recovered slightly from July to €402 after heatwaves and drought temporarily reduced milk deliveries, although abundant stocks kept it far below the 2025 average of €653.
EU milk deliveries increased by 3.5% in the first half of 2026, but growth slowed from April and stood at 1.9% in June. Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands reported strong gains, while Polish deliveries declined for the first time in years and Irish volumes had been falling since April. Among other major exporters, June production grew by 11.6% in Uruguay, 4.5% in New Zealand and 3.0% in the United States. Combined volumes from the main exporters, including the EU, were 3.3% higher than in the first half of 2025, leaving processors to balance expanding raw milk supply against a recovery in dairy ingredient prices.
