The scale of the increase was significant for Fonterra, the dominant cooperative. Its September milk collection soared to 187.7 million kilograms of milk solids (kgMS), representing a formidable 6.3% rise compared to the same month last year. This year-on-year increase marks one of the largest monthly gains recorded in recent history, demonstrating the profound influence that localized climate patterns have on national dairy economics and output metrics that matter to the global trade.

This production jump was not confined to a single area. While the North Island saw a robust 5.6% increase, the South Island registered an even stronger performance, boosting collections by 7.6%. This widespread success was achieved because the fine weather conditions allowed farmers to maximize high-quality feed intake after a challenging winter. Producers successfully converted abundant, high-energy grass into milk solids, demonstrating astute dairy farm management to capture the brief, ideal growing window.

Despite this phenomenal September performance, the season’s overall output (June through September) remains slightly behind last year’s pace. However, the strong closing performance dramatically mitigates the earlier deficit, providing a significant boost heading into the peak production months of October and November. This renewed supply momentum could influence global market dynamics, potentially reinforcing bearish sentiment in key dairy commodity trades like Whole Milk Powder (WMP).