The improving market outlook and good weather conditions this spring have allowed UK dairy farmers to expand milk production. Milk collection in the UK for the month of April totalled 1.3m tonnes, which represents a 1.4% increase compared with the same month last year.

Export figures for April show that New Zealand milk powder shipments continued to decline. Whole milk powder exports in April were down 12% year on year to 101,000t, while shipments of skim powder were back 6% in April to 25,000t.

Beef exports from the Mercosur countries in South America totalled 126,500t for the month of April, which represents a 37% decline compared with March. The decline in shipments is primarily a result of the ongoing fallout from the Operation Weak Flesh meat scandal which unfolded in March.

This spring saw the US corn belt hit with more inclement weather, including sharp frosts, heavy rainfall and hailstones. Following this cold spring, the USDA this week pegged 65% of the US corn crop as being in either good or excellent condition, which is below the 10-year average of 70%.